


Mass Effect; Between Paragon and Renegade.

by Lady_Fenikkusu



Series: Marie Jane Shepard [2]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Follow on from Mass Effect Sole Survivor Stroy, Gen, Mass Effect 1, Multi, Sole Survivor (Mass Effect), and Start of Mass effect 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 11:07:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 68,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11334477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Fenikkusu/pseuds/Lady_Fenikkusu
Summary: And so we follow on with Marie Jane Shepard and her travels through Mass Effect 1 and the start of Mass Effect 2, We see how she is still suffering the ghosts of Akuze and how she tries to find some peace in her role as an N-7 while chasing Saren through Space.I rejigged this a little and made it flow better and no worries, I will give you Garrus / Fem Shepard love in this one I promise.





	1. A Young Wolf

Mass Effect;  
Between Paragon and Renegade. 

Chapter 1  
A Young Wolf 

Nihlus sighed and he looked over his reports to the council, trying to ignore the ache in the back of his neck that the good doctor Chakwas had spent hours carefully tending, pausing only to very carefully clean the blood away as she worked.

After she’d finished his injury, she’d sent him to his room with strict orders to rest and if he dared to do anything else but rest, she would strap him down and make him listen to Krogan opera. And so here he was, resting on his side as he relived the memory of how he, a Spectre of the Council and Mentor of the first Human candidate for the Spectres had come so close to dying at the hands of his own former mentor.

~ He winced as the scent of death and smoke clung to his nose, seeing movement he ducked behind a crate and took a moment to calm himself, several Geth had already fallen to his shots and this one would soon fallow the same fate as its fellow AIs.

He stood, taking aim and then paused, shocked at who he was looking at.

“Saren?” 

The other Turian turned and faced him. “Nihlus.” He said in greeting, something was wrong with his tone and- and since when did Saren have cables on his armour? 

“What are you doing here Saren, this isn’t your mission?” He stated, lowering his gun out of respect for his old mentor.

“The Council thought you could use some help on this one.” Saren said one hand coming to rest on his shoulder. That he could believe, but why hadn’t they told him that before he’d left?

He didn’t think much of it. Councillor Sparatus rarely enjoyed having him around and speaking to him was usually the job of another Turian and Saren’s help would be nice. “I wasn’t expecting to find the Geth here… this situation is bad.” He said, looking towards the smoke of the burning campsite.

“Don’t worry.” Saren was saying behind him. “I’ve got it under control.” He added.

“NIHLUS!!!!”

The shout made him turn, shocked that the Commander had caught up so quickly only to feel pain rip into the back of his neck and a second wave of pain shot through into his shoulder, rendering his left arm useless as a heavy foot sent him into the crossfires of the hidden Geth and Husk around them.

“Nihlus stay down!” The Commander yelled at him over the gunfire.

He hissed and growled as he heard the shots flying overhead, some hitting close to him just before the burnt out bady of the husk landed a few feet from him. The shots stopped and then the sound of feet running closer caught his attention, but he dared not to move his head, feeling pain at every slight twitch of his body.

He watched the huge ship of some unknown make took off, shaking the ground and throwing up dirt and dust everywhere, releasing some ungodly sound that made his head hurt all the more as he lay like a dead fool on the ground, waiting for the pain in his neck to get worse as dirt and dust came closer and closer.

Then there was pressure to his neck, burning seething pain that both please and angered him as the Commander came into view, one hand slowing the bleeding of his neck as the other searched in his armour for medi-gel. “Shepard-”

“Stay still. It’s missed your spine but only by a hair, the gash is deep enough to cause permanent damage if you move too much.” Shepard said while ripping open a Medi-gel pack with her teeth and carefully applying the stuff to his neck with practiced ease, around the edges first and then swiftly packing the gash, however painfully with something warm and stingingly clean, likely a pack bandage from his medical kit. It wouldn’t last long but it would ease the pain allowing him to move his neck. 

“Thanks.”

“Who was that?” She asked.

“Spectre, old mentor of mine… best agent the spectres have…” he listed off, allowing Shepard to tend him as she removed the thin plating that was against his neck. 

“Alenko, call Joker and tell him to get that bird on the ground and tell Chakwas to get her bay ready for Nihlus. Broken arm and neck injury. Williams, cover us.” She ordered, reloading her weapons.

“Aye ma’am.”

“Where are you going?!” Nihlus asked.

“To finish the job.” She told him. ~

And then off she’d gone, shooting down anything in her way by the sound of it as she’d raced for the tram to catch up with Saren, leaving him in the care of her team until the doctor had arrived with a small team of her own to get him to the medical bay.

It seemed that he had been the lucky one of the two. Shepard had been found completely comatose after something happened to her and the Prothean Beacon and while she had been surrounded by dead Geth and Husks there was no sign of Saren.

If Shepard hadn’t warned him, he would have been dead.

His report to the council was sent as a join message report and then sent again to each of them individually to insure they had gotten it and could read over it at their own pace, he had then sent it to C-Sec as a back-up also sending a copy to Shepard and Anderson just to be sure he hadn’t missed anyone.

It detailed everything, time stamps, comm chatter, his talk with Shepard before the drop off, the medical attention she had given him on Eden Prime and the wonderful work the human Doctor Chakwas had done.

And now he found himself on his bunk, trying to think what he would tell Councillor Sparatus if and when he asked how he had allowed himself to get hurt and been tended by a human. A FEMALE human at that. That would never be left to fade away, Sparatus made no qualm about his dislike for the humans to his own kind, but he kept that dislike in check when talking to the Humans, unless it was the Human Ambassador Udina, but then who could really blame him?

Movement outside his door caught his attention and he sat up in time to see Shepard reach her room, though something seemed off about her the usually confidence was lost it seemed as he listened to her slide down against the wall of her room and give a long sigh. 

“Should have sent scouts down first. Shouldn’t have brought Jenkins along, too young. Not enough Intel to take rookies along, should have questioned more.” she hissed, “Stupid girl. Shouldn’t have kept quite…”

“You know,” Nihlus said stopping by her door. “Talking to one self is a sign of insanity in humans.” He added looking into the room to find her at on the floor head low and picking at her finger nails.

“Corporal Toombs isn’t here to tell me what mistakes I made or how stupid I was, so I’m doing it for him.” She said turning to look at him. “You’d think Akuze had taught me to be more careful, to ask more questions, instead I have to live with the knowledge another baby isn’t going home.”

“Corporal Jenkins wasn’t a baby Commander.” Nihlus said after a moment.

“He was someone’s son, Nihlus, someone’s young son, his parents and siblings, his whole family now has to suffer the knowledge that the Geth, a race of A.Is we didn’t know was here, killed their boy, the boy they’ve watched grow up since he was a baby. They are going to have to bury him before he’d even reached his prime years…” She sighed softly and put her head in her hands. 

“What are you blaming yourself for Shepard?” he asked. “You couldn’t have known this would happen.”

“Eden Prime might recover from this attack, but how long with his family grief? And will they get the truth that this pick up has been a complete waste of time? That his life was lost for nothing now the beacon is gone?” Shepard asked. “I have seen what they tell people when they die in battle Nihlus, they don’t always get the truth. They tried to tell Jennix’s boy he died when the ship went down and that was a load of bull shit. The Brass tells People what they think makes them sound good, not the truth. They would have erased everything about Akuze if I had died.”

“And you believe blaming yourself for this will make any difference?” Nihlus stated. “Shepard… I know what politics can be like, but you and I are little more than pawns to them, I had to fight my way to the spectres and I still get the same petty name callings from other Turians. But I make sure that in my reports the people I go out with are named and honoured for their actions and if that isn’t enough I send the report to the Primarch himself and he can then hand it to the family.”

“And when that doesn’t feel like it’s enough?” Shepard asked.

“What do you mean?” Nihlus asked cocking his head.

“When you’ve sent reports, when you’ve done all you can do physically, but you still feel you should have done more, then what do you do?” She asked. “I went to see the son Jennix left behind and his wife, he wasn’t even a month old when his father died and yet, when he saw me, he knew who I was and he knew what I was doing at his house. He asked me straight out how his father had died, if he was really a hero like my report said.”

“You sent the family your report personally?” he asked in shock, as far as he knew the Alliance protocol demanded such reports never went to the families of crew mates.

“I didn’t trust anyone else to do it,” Shepard said, starting to fiddle with something around her neck. “I met Jade’s wife, Madam Amber Ruby and because of all the she’d though Jade and I were having an affair behind her back because the Alliance had been skimping our messages. I faced the Greens twice and they HATED me before they even saw me. And when I met Jennie Ken’s old man I thought he was going to rip what was left of my shattered self-worth away and turn me into a shell. Instead he just told me about his children and Amber still texts me every two weeks just to keep me update on what the life of luxury is treating her like. I haven’t heard from the Greens since then.” 

She stopped fiddling with whatever it was around her neck and smiled, “But then there’s Benjamin, Jennix’s boy, I can’t go a day without a text or rather a whole mini report on how his day was, about the latest schoolyard chatter.” She chuckled. “When I first spoke with them all after Akuze, I felt like I was bashing my head against a wall that would never break down, that nothing I did or said would be enough and then Amber gave me that swan and the walls cracked, Ken’s old man told me about Jennie’s life before she joined the Everfree and the cracks got bigger. Benjamin…” she paused small tears trying to form over her eyes.

“What happened?” Nihlus pressed lightly.

Shepard snorted softly. “He hugged me, first time in years anyone had just thrown themselves at me like that, told me he’d be a solider just like his daddy. That broke the rest of the wall down, now and then I get the feeling I should have done more, but then I look at the texts and the gifts I still have and remember I did enough to help at least some families through their grief.” 

“Is that why you collect spent shells?” he asked.

“Benjamin’s request, he wants one shell from every type of ammo used by the Alliance.” She nodded. “And Amber asks for the odd pretty stone now and then and Jennie’s father asks that once a month I send him a report how things are going, that feels like it’s enough. Jenkins…” her face fell again. “I know I’m not the one who’ll have to tell his family, but god I hate being the one who has to live with it. I have to go on knowing if I had said something, he’d still be here.”

“You weren’t making the calls on this mission Commander, you couldn’t have known this would happen, or that this would become something more than a simply pick up.” Nihlus repeated.

“I know, but part of me still feels bad about it.” She said then sighed. “How’s your neck?”

“It will heal, Chakwas mentioned something about it scaring but that is to be expected… I think you surprised her with the medical aid you gave me.” He admitted.

“Street life teaches you to think fast and work with what you have, the fact we carry a mini first aid kit just made it easier, so you at least got clean stuff to work with,” She admitted.

“Jenkins was wrong about you Shepard, you wouldn’t make a good Spectre.” He said and Shepard looked up at him. “You’d make a great Spectre.”

Shepard smiled. “Maybe.” She said. “Though if Udina keeps annoying me, I might just have to shoot him, or maybe hire someone to make it into a fake death vid and see how many hits it gets on the Extranet before he sees it.” She said.

“You’d do that?” Nihlus asked.

“You wouldn’t?” Shepard asked back and Nihlus paused a moment. “Think on it, say someone was constantly on your back, breathing down your neck that every time you go on a mission you are ‘representing the whole of humanity’.”

“You have a valid point.” Nihlus stated. “I’m starting to see why so many Turians under Corinthus’ command like you.” He added smiling.

“Because of my devilishly evil sense of humour?” Shepard asked with a smirk. “Damn I need to work more on my death glares.”

They shared a laugh at that, then both paused as Joker came over the comms, alerting them to their arrival to Citadel Space and the Citadel. Shepard sighed, carefully pulling herself up again and Nihlus saw the chain with a few old dog tags on it that hung around her neck.

“Akuze?” he asked and she nodded. “For luck?” he added.

“For comfort.” Shepard corrected. “And assurance that I will at least try not to hit Udina.” She smirked.

~~~@~~~

She got half way through her report before Udina’s snips and interruptions gave her a headache and she grabbed him by the shirt collar and growled. “One more word out of you, Donald and I will beat you black and blue and leave you out for fish bait!” she warned shoving him away.

“You’re bluffing Shepard.” Udina snarled, though he was shaking slightly.

“Try me, Udina, I know a few places I can get rid of a body.” She said cracking her knuckles.

~“Enough.”~ Councillor Tevos snapped out over the comm. ~“We were speaking with Shepard not you Ambassador.”~ the Asari reminded.

Anderson resisted the urge to smirk as Udina very quickly straightened his back trying to save face while Shepard turned to the Council. “As I was saying,” she said taking a moment to remind herself here she was in her report. “I got to the top of the rise and saw Nihlus with one other Turian at the spaceport, the one I didn’t know had a gun to the back of Nihlus’s head. I yelled, Nihlus turned towards me and the shot went across the back of his neck, left a deep gash and the other Turian snapped his shoulder out of place then kicked him to the ground before running off on the tram. Alenko and Williams shot down the Geth and Husks with me before we tended Nihlus while I went after the other Turian. The rest in is the report.”

~“You didn’t know who the other Turian was?”~ Councillor Valern, the Salarian Councillor asked.

“I had no idea who he was or what he was doing there, all I knew was he had a weapon to Nihlus’s head and that never ends well.” She said glancing to the Turian Councillor Sparatus. “Unless there’s some odd greeting that involves that kind of behaviour I don’t know about in your culture?” she asked.

~“Don’t over step your place, Human.”~ He growled out.

“Stop glaring at me like I’m an insect, Turian” She shot back.

~“You mention some kind of dream, a vision the Beacon gave you in your report.”~ Tevos stated, moving their talks along. ~“But even the medical reports do not tell us what you saw.”~

“A lot of death.” Shepard said shuddering.

~“You were unsettled by it?”~ Valern asked.

“You’d be unsettled if you saw that kind of thing.” She snipped, “I don’t know what it showed me, death and destruction, some kind of Synthetics maybe Geth, butchering and slaughtering Organics, I didn’t recognize any of the races I saw.” She said, shaking her head, trying to force the sudden need to throw up back down.

“Physically sickened by a dream?” Udina stated, then doubled over in pain when Shepard’s foot struck his stomach.

“Shepard!” Anderson scalded lightly. 

“I didn’t kill him,” She stated and then turned back to the Councillors, ignoring Udina’s whining as he was hurried off to his office. “So, who is this Turian, what was his name?” She asked looking at Anderson in hopes of getting away from the topic of the dream.

“Saren. Saren Arterius.” Anderson supplied.

~“Saren is already under investigation by C-Sec, Nihlus’s report alone was enough to have us begin the investigation but upon reading and hearing first-hand the report from you Shepard, we would prefer to wait until the investigation has been completed before we make any further judgements on the matter.”~ Councillor Tevos stated. ~“Saren is one of our top agents, accusations against him and any spectre is to be investigated.”~

“And what am I meant to do until then? Go fishing in the lakes?” Shepard asked.

~“If you like.”~ Councillor Valern stated. ~“We shall continue this conversation at the hearing.”~ He added as the three fizzed out of focus.

“Why do I get the feeling they don’t like what is happening?” Ashley asked.

“Because they don’t,” Alenko stated. “Their top agent has been accused of acts that mark him a traitor to them and to make it worse, one of those accusing him is a fellow spectre.”

“And former student.” Shepard sighed.

“Are you deliberately trying to have your placement for the spectre’s rejected Shepard?!” Udina demanded once they reached his office. 

“I’m doing what is right, Udina and if you don’t like it, go find someone else to take the place, I’m not here to be used as some bargaining ticket for your standing.” She snarled at him, jabbing a finger hard into his chest. “I don’t need spectre status to bury you.” 

“Play nice Shepard.” Anderson stated, getting between the two, “He is still needed.”

“Only until he pisses someone else off.” Shepard said before heading off.

“Go with her, try and keep her out of trouble.” Anderson said lightly shooing Alenko and Williams out after her.

They caught up to her as she reached the door way out of the embassy and then all but bumped into each other trying to stop in time. “What’s with you two?”

“Anderson said to stay with you.” Kaidan said. “Didn’t expect you to stop so suddenly though…” he added rubbing his nose from where he and Ashley had collided. “Ow.”

Shepard chuckled. “And I thought boys were hard as nails?” She stated then looked around, “Ok, so where to go?” 

“Maybe we could go find a place to get better armour, this stuff isn’t going to suit very well.” Ashely suggested looking at her armour. “Pink doesn’t suit me.” She added.

“We’ll stop by Alliance Tower and get you fitted up,” Shepard assured. “But right now, I want to get as far from Udina as I can get for as long as possible.” She said walking past the desk for the receptionist.

“How do you not get lost here?” Ashley asked.

“Avina.” Shepard said, “That and I lived here for a short time, didn’t much like it though, too many rules and not enough places to get the real Moonshine.” She added.

“You drink that stuff?” Kaidan asked.

“You think I’d waste my credits on the cheap stuff?” Shepard chuckled. “I wonder if they will ever make a Dextro friendly version of the stuff, I’d love to see if Turians could handle pure alcohol.” She added.

“Is it not bad enough some Turian are already caught drunk on shift without you making something that can make them worse Marie Jane?” A gruff voice asked as they passed a door.

“It would give you a reason to call in and tell Udina to fuck off,” Shepard chuckled back tracking into the office. “Hello Pallin.” 

“Did Ambassador Udina send you to annoy me now I am an Executer?” the Turian asked.

“He doesn’t tell me what to do,” Shepard stated, snatching up a stylus and started to roll it over her fingers. “Or did you forget that I use to be the reason you got an easy shift at the end of the night back when you were a detective?” 

“You call me running around to try and catch the Reds an easy shift?” Pallin asked.

“I helped you catch and put them in lock up.” Shepard reminded, “So, can I ask about the current investigation into Saren?” She asked.

“I’m sorry Commander, I still don’t make a habit of giving details about ongoing investigations.” He smirked and Shepard huffed. “But I can say that I’m happy that someone has finally realized Saren is out of control.”

“You don’t like him?” Shepard surmised, throwing the stylus up with a flick of her wrist to make it spin and catching it.

“I can’t abide by anyone who believes they are above the law, no matter what rank they may hold, no one is above punishments for their crimes. It is left up to the individual spectres to decide when and how to follow the rules.” Pallin said.

“And what about times you have no choice but to bend rules to get a job done?” Shepard asked, “When you have to go in to save a life when others have ordered you not to? Or when you know you can get the shot off to save a kid’s life even when the boss yells at you to hold fire because he can’t get a line of sight?” She added.

Pallin shook his head. “I’ll admit there are times bending the rules is needed and can be pardoned, but in all my thirty years at C-sec I have never had break those rules to do my job. Not once.”

“And you expect all of C-Sec to be that way?” Ashley asked.

“There are over two hundred thousand C-Sec officers, some of them are going to be bad. But we don’t turn a blind eye to corruption like the Spectres have done for so long, any officer that breaks the laws here is found and punished to the best of our authority, even if that means we drag them before their home world judgement system. The Spectres will never come under that kind of scrutiny.” Pallin said and caught the stylus from mid-air. “Stop that.”

“People like that are sometimes needed, or no one would ever do the dirty jobs.” Shepard said now keeping her hands busy with some sticky notes Pallin hadn’t been fast enough to hide from her.

“Agreed, but they need to be held to a higher standard. They must be accountable for their actions. Saren is out of control, but because he is a spectre the Councillors will do nothing and we both know that. That isn’t the kind of person this galaxy needs, is it Shepard?” he asked.

“No, but not all the spectres are like Saren.” Shepard pointed out. “Nihlus is a former student to him and he is as different from Saren as you can get.”

“True,” Pallin nodded, “But the potential is always there.” He said and took the sticky notes back. “Must you fuss with everything that isn’t nailed down?”

“To quote Jade Kirana. ‘Only if allowed to grow and feed, will the seeds of decay and evil flower and poison the innocent mind. Remove the evil seeds and only pure flowers will grow’.” Shepard stated. “And yes, I fuss.”

While Kaidan and Ashley looked shocked and slightly confused, Pallin chuckled. “It seems there maybe hope in your kind yet, Commander.” He said.

“If ever they make some that you can drink, I’ll send you a batch of Moonshine.” She said before leaving. 

“Aunt Shepard!” A voice cheered and suddenly there was a heavy but familiar weight in Shepard’s arms. “I caught you!”

“Yes- Yes Benjamin, you did.” She smiled lightly petting the boy’s head. “Where’s your mother?”

“Right here.” Another voice stated as a woman came from the small café nearby, looking slightly over worked but no less happy to see a familiar face. “Hello Marie.” 

“Mrs. Jennix.” Shepard smiled, “I thought you were staying on earth?” 

“Benjamin insisted we come and ‘see what the stars are like when the Council are’. So here we are.” She said though she was smiling.

“They don’t look any different.” Benjamin sighed. “How come people say the stars look better here if you can’t even see them?” he added.

Shepard chuckled. “Well for starters, you won’t see stars while you are in this area,” She said. “You’d have to see them from the docks.”

“We aren’t allowed there.” Benjamin said.

“No, but give me a few hours and I will take you up to see the stars, I promise.” She said.

“Swear on my Dog tags?” Benjamin asked holding up the small tags around his neck. 

Shepard smiled and lightly took her own tag chain off and carefully pressed the tags together. “I swear on the tags, I will take you to see the stars at the docks before I leave and if I don’t, your daddy’s ghost will haunt me forever.”

“Deal.” Benjamin said and then hugged Shepard tightly, smiling when she handed him a box with the words, ‘do not open unless in privet’ written on the top which he carefully tucked into his bag. “Thanks Aunt Shepard.”

“Anything for my favourite nephew.” She smiled watching him hurry off with his mother.

~~~@~~~

Nihlus almost growled in frustration… almost.

“So you’re telling me, that despite the accusations of TWO people, one of whom is also a spectre and the mountain of proof you have, you are STILL not convinced that Saren has gone rouge?” he asked, keeping his back straight.

~“It is not that, Nihlus.”~ Sparatus stated. ~“We need proof at least from Shepard that is solid and undoubted.”~

“And allowing Saren to disappear into the Terminus Systems without stopping him is going to give her that chance to get the proof?” He almost snapped. “All due respect but it seems you are all unwilling to accept that your pet Spectre has betrayed you or you would have removed the red tape around him and let the C-sec officer do his job.” 

~“If we lift the tape from Saren, he will easily know what officers are searching for and likely target their families to stop them.”~ Tevos stated. ~“Shepard will find proof if it is there, if not, we will have to find another way to deal with this matter.”~

“You are all fools!” Nihlus snapped at last, growling deep in his throat. ed, “You’re using her as a pawn, and she will not like it.” 

~“You sound so sure.”~ Valern stated.

“I worked with her, I have watched her and I am no fool, she is still battling with her own memories of what happened on Akuze, she had to watch another friend die on Eden Prime and she now has to listen to you twist the truth just to test her. All the while innocent lives are at risk from Saren’s plots and the Geth he now controls.” The Spectre stated angrily. “She will not, as the humans say, let this one slide.”

The three glanced to each other but said nothing as Nihlus waited for some response.

It came from Councillor Sparatus, ~“You are her mentor Nihlus, deal with her as you see fit.”~

“Do not be surprised if Shepard insults you for this.” He said before cutting the comms and heading out of his apartment.

He had to get to Shepard.

~~~@~~~

“Isn’t that Pallin?” Ashley asked as they reached the Citadel Tower steps and saw Pallin stood with another Turian, this one in blue and black armour. 

“They don’t look happy.” Kaidan said as they got closer.

“-Saren’s hiding something! You have to give me more time, Pallin. Can’t you stall them?!” the younger looking Turian asked.

“Stall the Council? I’m not a miracle worker, your investigation is over Garrus.” Pallin said though he didn’t sound the least bit happy about it himself. “They have everything you have already found.” He added turning away and heading back to his office.

Garrus gave a growl and looked about ready to punch someone, but that thought quickly seemed to vanish when he spotted Shepard and her team mates and instead he straightened almost instantly. “Commander Shepard?” he asked. “Garrus Vakarian. I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren. Until just now.”

“Sounds like you have been working hard to try and bring him down.” Shepard said, relaxing her shoulders and letting her arms hang lose at her sides, the unspoken command to ‘At Ease’ when not talking to an officer of your own unit she’d picked up from her days in the Challenges.

Garrus seemed to understand it and instantly his arms went to his waist and his tone held his true frustration and annoyance. “I don’t trust him, something about him rubs me the wrong way, but as a Spectre everything his touches is classified. I can’t find any hard evidence.” He explained.

“You’ll find something,” Shepard said and at Garrus’s confused look she continued, “No one leave suddenly without some kind of clue about what is happening or where they are going. You just need to know where to look.”

“I think the Council is ready for us Commander.” Kaidan stated as Garrus was about to say something. 

“Good luck, Shepard.” Garrus said as they headed past him. “Maybe they’ll listen to you.” He added.

“Think he realizes his investigation was for nothing?” Kaidan asked only to wince as Shepard’s arm slammed into his chest with a little too much force than he thought needed.

“Shut up Alenko.” Shepard said. “At least he tried, more than what some have done.” She stated heading towards the Captain and Ambassador. “Take Williams back to the Normandy and have Chakwas measure her up for new armour.” She added as she left them two alone.

~~~@~~~

“Vakarian.”

“What is it?” Garrus forced himself to keep the frustrated growl in his chest as his superior dropped a report on his desk.

“New lead on your Case.” Pallin said and watched Garrus leave without another word. 

He sighed, no matter what he did or said he couldn’t help but see the Vakarian boy getting himself into serious trouble one day if he kept trying so hard to be a hero, but maybe, just maybe, Shepard could give Garrus a chance to see that life away from C-Sec and away from rules wasn’t a place that he would last long in.

Hopefully.

~~~@~~~

“Well that was pointless.” Shepard growled, cracking her knuckles. “Hopefully Kaidan and Ashley are back on the Normandy so they can’t get tangled up in this shit, so help me I’m about ready to kill someone.” She went on.

“They need more proof.” Anderson sighed, watching Shepard pace back and forth, cracking joints as she went. “But where to get it?”

“Ahem.” 

Shepard looked back over her shoulder and smiled as a familiar Turian walked in the door. “Howdy Stranger.” 

Nihlus gave a slight chuckle. “I hear you need help with proof on Saren.” He said, getting to the point as he sat down with her and Anderson. “I might just have what you need,” He added.

“Tell me you have already given it to the Councillors.” Shepard said.

“Not yet, there is something in my way. Some of Saren’s men are already after this same lead and I need someone who isn’t going to be noticed too easily.” Nihlus said. “Know anyone who could help?” he added.

Shepard cracked her knuckles again. “Tell me what you have.” She said. 

“Garrus, the C-sec officer who was investigating Saren, found himself a nice lead form one Dr. Michel. She’s runs a med clinic on the far side of these wards, nice enough woman, if a little foolish at times with her day dreams,” Nihlus said. “Might be just what you need.” He added.

“You’re not going to help us?” Shepard asked.

“I’m still technically evaluating you, Shepard. Consider this the last test in the eyes of the Spectres to accept you if you want.” Nihlus said.

“Fine,” Shepard said. “But when this is done, I want the truth, from both of you.” She added. “No one can know so much and just be good friends, Anderson, so don’t think I haven’t noticed your high level of Intel on the Spectres.”

Anderson sighed. “Expose Saren… and I will tell you everything.” He said.

“You’d better.”

Nihlus watched her leave and then looked at Anderson. “She often like that?” 

“Only when people don’t tell her the truth… after Akuze, she became more reluctant to open up to strangers, it’s a short time, and no one outside her crew on the Everfree really saw it, but if you watch her records you can tell when she stopped trusting as openly as she once did.” Anderson said. “I made the mistake of thinking she would be less reluctant around me and now she’s walking that fine line of hitting me or simply walking away.”

“Do you think she would just walk away?” Nihlus asked.

“Not now, but when this is over I doubt she will be willing to just let herself be dragged from post to post again.” Anderson sighed.

“I see.” 

~~~@~~~

Shepard paused by a large window like view and sighed, leaning against the railing slightly as she looked out, feeling eyes on her she knew from years of running around on the streets.

“So, the Runt made it to the stars.” Another woman said as she joined Shepard at the railing, dressed in a long red dress and beautiful jewels. “Been a long time.”

“Not long enough, Saber. Or is it just Mrs. Ulan now?” Shepard asked dipping her head lightly. 

“Just Mrs. Ulan.” The woman smiled, “I’m retired from the Wolf Pack. Though I admit, it was fun to run the Reds out of here.” 

“Is that why you’re here? Because I’m not going back to the streets.” Shepard said, “I can’t.”

“Oh no Runt, I’m not here to bark at you.” The woman smiled, “Fist has a of his thugs here working on silencing the good Doctor. But judging by that nice armour and those weapons, you’re here to see that that stops.” 

“I feel a ‘but’ coming on,” Shepard said.

“They are known Reds.” The woman said. “They need dealing with. I’ll turn a blind eye to your and how you deal with them, but only if you promise me you will give them painful death with Fang.”

“Consider it done.” Shepard said watching the other woman walk away before heading into the clinic.

“I didn’t tell anyone! I swear!” A panicked voice stated and Shepard smiled darkly, Garrus was hidden by the pillar already and five men were surrounding a red head in a doctor uniform. 

She drew her gun and let off a shot, killing one of the five with a head shot. “Wolf Calling.” She greeted.

“Bitch!” the ring leader cursed grabbing the doc in a head lock and aiming his gun at Shepard. “Who are you?!”

“Looks like I ddidn’t teach you Reds enough of a lesson last time.” She stated.

“Fuck, Runt?!”

It was enough to give Garrus the time he needed to fire a shot at the ring leader and take him down, freeing the doc who instantly dashed for cover as the thugs opened fire on Garrus and Shepard.

Shepard smirked and vaulted the parting wall between them, driving a foot hard into one thug’s crotch before slashing his throat with some kind of blade Garrus didn’t see at that point while another fell to a well-placed shot to the chest. The last was lucky to avoid shots or cuts and instead she twisted his neck so fast and so far that it snapped and the man fell to the ground in a heap.

The Doctor peeked out from her cover in time to see Shepard put something in her side panel before she came over. 

“Bold move for a C-sec officer.” She said to Garrus. “Risky, but bold.”

“There was no time for me to think! I- I just reacted.” Garrus said realizing his badly his shot could have gone. “Doctor Michel, are you hurt?”

“No, No, I am alright… Thanks to the two of you.” The doctor said frantically wringing her hands and trying to comprehend what had just happened.

“What did those men want from you, Doctor?” Shepard asked. “Tell me who sent them and I’ll make sure they can’t get to you again.”

“They, they work for Fist. They wanted me to keep quiet and not tell Garrus about the Quarian I helped a few days ago. She’d been shot by someone, but she could tell me who and she was scared, likely on the run. She wanted to trade information with the Shadow Broker in exchange for a safe place to hide. Fist works for the Shadow Broker, so I put her in contact with him…”

“Not anymore,” Garrus said. “Fist is working with Saren and the Shadow Broker isn’t happy about it. But even for Fist such a move is stupid, so whatever that Quarian has, it must be worth crossing the Broker to get.”

“Proof…” Shepard said. “Did she mention anything about Saren while she was here? Or the Geth?” 

“She said the information she was going to trade was about the Geth.” Dr. Michel said nodding.

“You need to leave Doc, get to a safe place and stay there until things cool down, if you don’t feel safe on your own, head to the small Café on the north side of the plaza, tell them Runt sent you for protection and ask for someone to come and clean this mess up.” Shepard explained, “Go, now.”

Dr. Michel nodded and after quickly gathering her laptop and bag, pulling a coat over her uniform and took off in a hurry.

“This is your show Shepard,” Garrus began as she collected the spent shell casing sand put them in a neat row in the table top. “But I want to bring Saren down as much as you do.” He added and looked like he wanted to say more but was stopping himself.

“I need someone who knows this place,” Shepard smiled and offered him her hand. “Welcome aboard, Garrus.” She added.

“The Shadow Broker hired a Krogan named Wrex to take Fist out. We had to bring him in for a chat after Fist accused him of making threats. If we hurry we can catch him at the C-Sec academy.” Garrus said.

“Then that’s where we are going.” She stated. “Show me the fastest way.” She added nd Garrus nodded, leading her to the C.R.T and set off for C-Sec. 

“Where did you learn to fight like that?” Garrus asked as they travelled. “Back there.”

“The Streets.” Shepard said simply, “Earth may look perfect, but there are still problems, I came from the biggest problem Earth still has.” She added.

“No one looks out for you?” He asked, “How do you survive like that?”

“You learn to survive on your own, how to find your own food, even if that means you have to steal your way to your next meal and fight to keep it, you learn to run and hide from the people who say they are going to try and help you or you ended up someone’s drug runner or as their bed pet.” She explained. “Not everyone in a nice uniform with a badge is there to help you…” She added.

“And you grew up in that kind of area?” Garrus asked. “How did you get out?”

“I joined a gang, it was better than staying on my own as I got older, too many older boys had noticed me and when a girl is by herself on the streets she is an easy target for pimps and drug runners. At least in the gangs I had people with me so I was a little bit safer.” She said. “Through the gang, I heard about the Alliance and how they took in everyone. So when I turned eighteen I signed up and never looked back.”

Garrus made a sound of understanding as they pulled into the parking lot for the C.R.T. “There they are.” He said as they reached the Academy and spotted three officers taking to a large Krogan.

“Do you want me to arrest you, Wrex?” one of the officer asked.

“I want you to try.” The Krogan chuckled. “I will kill Fist, that’s what I’m paid to do and if you have an issue with it, take it up with the Shadow Broker. If you can find them.” He added shoving past the officer and heading towards them. “Do I know you Human?” he asked Shepard, realizing she was watching him. 

“Shepard. And I hear you are going after Fist as well. Care to tag along?” She asked.

Wrex gave a sinister smirk. “Shepard? Commander Shepard?” He asked and at her nod his smirk grew. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Out of respect I’ll give you a fair warning.” He said as he purposely invaded her personal space. “I’m going to kill Fist.”

“Good but before you do, I need to get some information out of him.” Shepard said, not even leaning back to try and keep some space between them. “Let me get that and you can do whatever you want to Fist.” She assured.

“And you’ll let her do this, Turian?” Wrex asked Garrus looking unconvinced.

“I’m not hearing any of this,” Garrus stated while pretending to type a report on his omni-tool. “As far as C-Sec knows, I’m helping her investigate Saren.” 

Wrex chuckled. “My people have a saying, seek the enemy of your enemy and you will find a friend.” He said offering his hand out.

Shepard smiled. “Glad to have you Wrex,” she said taking his hand in a grip Wrex hadn’t thought possible for a human hand.

“I hate to keep Fist waiting.” The Krogan said. 

“According to what I have, Chora’s Den has been closed for the day, something about remodelling.” Garrus stated. “Fist knows we are coming.”

Shepard chuckled. “Good, that means only his thugs will be there and I don’t have to worry about innocent people getting stuck in the middle.” She said heading back to the C.R.T.

~~~@~~~

“What do you mean she’s using live rounds?!” Udina demanded looking over the reports.

“Did you expect her to do nothing?” Anderson asked. “She is doing this to ensure that Saren doesn’t get away with what he is doing, and if she needs to use force then Nihlus will explain it to the Council as a necessary evil.”

Udina growled. “She is reckless and foolish.”

“And yet the Council see her as the best candidate for the Spectres.” Anderson reminded. “Let her do as she will, if she steps out of place, it will be to Nihlus to straighten her out.” 

~~~@~~~

“Tell me you are seeing this, Councillors.” Nihlus asked as he showed then the current vid feeds of Shepard, Garrus and Wrex taking down thugs with ease, some with bullets but those who tried to get close to Shepard met a swift and painful end from the knife that Shepard had brought from somewhere. 

~“She isn’t as clean as some… but her methods are working…”~ Tevos stated.

~“Continue to monitor her, and keep us updated.”~ Sparatus said.

“Yes Sirs, Ma’am.” He said and continued to record and watch the fight beneath him and felt himself smiling, Shepard wasn’t as clean as some assassins might have been, but she was moving with their level of speed and almost Krogan like rage, that would win her point with the Salarian Councillor.

She wouldn’t need much mentoring in her fighting, maybe a tiny bit of sparring just to keep her on her toes, but nothing big.

As she moved towards Fist, he saw the change in her attitude when she spared the warehouse workers, just as she had softened when talking to the Doctor. She had mercy, more so than some Spectre agents he knew and that would win her point with the Asari Councillor.

The threats and swift tongue, heck that would win her point with any Turian! He’d have to ask where she learned that kind of threating behaviour, even Wrex looked shocked, but she got the information she needed without having to kill.

When Fist tried to sweet talk his way out of the mess, she looked at Wrex. “Do what you came to do, but don’t leave a mess.” She said leaving the Krogan to his job.

“You said I wasn’t your concern!” Fist yelled.

“You’re not.” Shepard said. “I have the intel I need from you, now Wrex has a job to do.” She stated leaving with Garrus close behind.

She honoured her word, even if that would likely make her look bad to some, to the council it was just more proof that she wasn’t one to back off any pre-made agreements.

“Are you sure that is a wise idea?” the younger Turian asked.

“I gave Wrex my word he could have Fist when we were done with him, if I’d gone back on that I’d be no better than Fist.” She said. “I may not be the nicest Commander, but I keep promises and I don’t go back on my word.”

“Still don’ think the Council will be happy about the building number of bodies.” Garrus said.

“They should have done more to investigate Saren.” Shepard stated simply, “These people are dead because they ignored the report of his actions and the attempted murder of a fellow spectre. This is blood on their hands.”

Nihlus made sure that was on record and moved to follow them as they made there was towards the meeting place Fist had told them about. They arrived just in time to rescue the Quarian from her would be captors, though they were not quite fast enough to safe her from injury it seemed. 

“He set me up! I knew I couldn’t trust him!” the Quarian hissed, trying not to move her left arm too much.

“Fist got what was coming to him, you don’t need to worry about that.” Shepard said. “Are you hurt?” She added.

“My shoulder, but it is nothing serious. I guess I have two things I need to thank you for,” the Quarian said looking at the two of them. “Who are you?”

“Marie Jane Shepard. I’m looking for evidence to prove Saren’s a traitor.” She explained. “I was told you could help with that.”

“Then allow me to repay you for saving my life, but not here. We must go somewhere safe.” The Quarian insisted.

“I know a place and the people there will want to see this anyway.” Shepard said, “We’ll pick up Wrex on the way.” She added looking to Garrus who nodded and led them quickly back to the C.R.T, Shepard pausing by a medi-station for the Quarian.

~~~@~~~

Once they reached the Ambassador’s office, Shepard couldn’t help but smirk as Udina began to rant then stopped and asked who the Quarian was. “She has the evidence that Saren is working with the Geth.” She stated. “And you are going to listen to her.”

Anderson nodded. “Could you start at the beginning, Miss…?”

“My Name is Tali. Tali’Zorah Nar Rayya.” She introduced.

“We don’t see many Quarians here,” Udina said with an unsure tone. “Why did you leave the Flotilla?”

“I was on my Pilgrimage, the rite of passage into adulthood all Quarians take when they reach maturity to prove we are worthy of adulthood, it is a tradition of my people while we search the stars alone searching for something of Value, like food or fuel, useful Technology or even knowledge that will make life easier on the Flotilla.” Tali explained. “During my travels, I began to hear reports about Geth outside the Veil. I was curious as to why they were coming out now, so I tracked a patrol to an uncharted world and waited for one to become separated from its unit, then I disabled it and removed the memory core.”

“I thought they fried their memory cores when they died,” Anderson said.

“Some kind of defence mechanism? How did you preserve the core?” Shepard asked Tali, her tome clearly impressed.

“If you are quick, careful and lucky small caches of data can sometimes be saved. Most of the core I took was wiped clean, but I was able to salvage something from the audio banks.” Tali explained as she tapped at her omni-tool and playing the recovered audio file she had.

~“Eden Prime was a major Victory. The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit.”~

“What’s the Conduit?” Shepard asked.

“Maybe some kind of Prothean Technology?” Anderson suggested.

“There is more, Saren wasn’t working alone.” Tali said tapping her tech again and then allowing the file to play again.

~“And one step closer to the return of the Reapers.”~

“I don’t recognize that other voice,” Udina stated with a deep frown, “The one taking about Reapers.”

“Are Reapers a new species?” Shepard asked.

“According to the memory core I salvaged, the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that existed 50,000 years ago that hunted the Protheans to total extinction and then they vanished. At least that is what the Geth believe.” Tali explained.

“Sounds somewhat far-fetched.” Udina stated folding his arms.

“Shepard? What’s wrong?” Garrus asked noticing Shepard’s shoulders suddenly stiffened and her eyes fluttered.

“The Vision the beacon gave me,” She said, seeing faint outlines behind her eyes, “I understand what it was showing me now. The Protheans were the organics I saw being wiped out by the Reapers.” She said shaking the images out of her head for the time.

“The Geth revere the Reapers as Gods, the pinnacle of Non-organic life and they believe that Saren knowns how to bring the Reapers back.” Tali stated.

“The Council is just going to love this.” Udina said.

“If what Tali says is correct and Saren is working to bring back these Reapers then every species in Citadel Space is in danger, we have to tell them.” Shepard stated.

“It doesn’t matter what they think about the rest of this,” Anderson stated, “The Audio files prove that Saren’s a traitor.” 

“What about us and Tali?” Wrex asked.

“You saw me in the alley Commander, you know what I can do, let me come with you.” Tali said.

“What of your Pilgrimage?” Shepard asked. “I can’t just stop you completing your rite to adulthood if you are meant to do it alone.”

“The Pilgrimage proves that we are going to do whatever it takes, even if that means we must give of ourselves for a greater good, what would it say about me if I turn my back on a threat that is against everyone in the galaxy?” Tali said. “Even if I don’t find something of value while we are traveling, Saren is a danger that cannot be ignored and my Pilgrimage can wait until that danger is gone.”

“In that case, I shall have someone take extra Dextro friendly foods to the ship.” Shepard said. “I’ll take all the help I can get.” She added looking at Wrex.

The Krogan nodded.

“Anderson and I will go ahead to get things ready with the Council. Take as long as you need to collet yourself and then meet us in the Tower.” Udina said.

~~~@~~~

Shepard could see him, he knew she could but she was keeping quiet as Udina gave the Council the evidence, having not spotted him in the wings when he arrived, he noticed Garrus stood at the foot of stairs while Wrex and Tali walked forwards with Shepard.

“You wanted proof, there it is.” Udina said.

“Saren will be stripped of his Spectre Status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes.” Councillor Sparatus assured with a deep growl of anger.

“I recognize the other voice.” Councillor Tevos stated looking deeply troubled as she spoke. “It’s Matriarch Benezia.”

“Who is she?” Shepard asked. “I know Matriarchs are powerful Asari revered for their wisdom and experience, but who is she as a person?” 

“Matriarch Benezia is a powerful Biotic, a mother, mentor and leader with many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren.” Councillor Tevos explained grimly.

“I am more interested in the Reapers,” Councillor Valern said. “What do we know about them?”

“Only what we taken from the memory Core,” Anderson explained. “The Reapers were an Ancient race of Machines that wipes out the Protheans. Then Vanished.”

“The Geth believe that the Reapers are Gods and that Saren is the Prophet of their return.” Shepard stated recalling what Tali had shared with them. “The attack on Eden Prime was him searching for the Conduit, the key to bringing the Reapers back. That’s bad enough.”

“Listen to what you are saying, Saren wants to bring back the machines that wiped out all life in the galaxy?” Councillor Sparatus stated, looking at his fellow Councillors. “Impossible, it has to be. Where did the Reapers go? Why did they vanish? How come we’ve found no trace of their existence? If they were real, we’d have found something!”

“Did your stupidity just go up sharply?” Shepard growled out. “I tried to warn you about Saren and you refused to face the truth, I bring you unquestionable proof of his betrayal and information on what he’s doing and you’re STILL sticking your head in the sand because you don’t believe what is being told to you.” She snapped at him. “Don’t make the same mistake twice, Councillor Sparatus.”

“This is different Shepard.” The Asari Councillor said, holding a hand up to try and sooth the anger Shepard was showing. “You have proved that Saren betrayed us, we all agree that he is using the Geth to search for this Conduit, but we don’t really know why.”

“The Reapers could just be a Myth, Commander,” Councillor Valern added, “A convenient lie to cover Saren’s true purpose and his way of bending the Geth to his will.”

“Then explain the vision the Beacon gave me.” Shepard demanded. “I saw it, 50,000 years ago the Reapers wiped out all Galactic Civilization. If Saren finds the Conduit, it will happen again!”

“Without his Spectre status, Saren has no way to access the resources being a Spectre gave him, he is on the run for his life,” Sparatus reminded, having calmed himself. 

“That is not good enough! You know he is in the Traverse. Send your Fleet in!” Udina snarled. 

“And start a war with the Terminus Systems? We are not going to be dragged into a Galactic confrontation over a few dozen human Colonies.” Sparatus snapped back at Udina. 

“Then keep your damn fleets here,” Shepard said, “I’ll go and drag that bastard back here myself.”

“The Commander is right.” Councillor Tevos said with a smile. “There is a way to stop Saren that doesn’t require fleets or armies.”

“No, it is too soon!” Councillor Sparatus stated. “Humanity is not ready for the responsibilities that come with joining the Spectres.”

“You keep your fleet here and the Ambassador gets a human Spectre.” Garrus dared to say as he stepped forwards, “Everyone wins.” 

The three Councillors looked at one another and reluctantly, Sparatus nodded, entering something into his console. 

“Commander Shep-”

“Aunt Shepard!” 

Udina nearly fell off the platform turning around to the wings, Anderson having to grab his shirt collar before he could fall while Shepard turned to the left and smiled as she spotted the Jennix family stood up on the wings near Nihlus. Benjamin happily bouncing on his toes to try and see over the railing better.

“Benjamin, this isn’t a place for shouting.” She said, ignoring the odd looks she was getting from the Councillors.

“Opps, is it important?” the boy asked, oblivious to where he was.

“See them?” Shepard asked nodding towards the council. “They are the Council members.”

“Oh…!” The boy said suddenly looking very sheepish. “Sorry.”

“No big deal.” Shepard assured, typing on her omni-tool. “Why don’t you go get ice cream while I finish up here and then we can go see the stars.”

“Yay!” Benjamin cheered before rushing off.

“‘Aunt’ Shepard?” Tevos asked after the boy was out of ear shot.

“Long story, involving Akuze.” Shepard said.

“I see…” She said finally regain control of the small chuckles that were stuck in her throat. “Step forward please Commander Shepard.” Shepard looked to Anderson who nodded the wings started to fill up with people from all races. “It is the decision of the council that you be granted all the powers and privileges if the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel.” She stated.

Councillor Valern crossed his arms. “Spectres are not trained but chosen. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle, those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file.”

“They are an ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the council, instruments of our will.” Tevos stated.

“The safety of the Galaxy is a great burden that Spectres beat, they are our first and last line of defence as protectors of galactic peace.” Sparatus stated. “You are the first Human Spectre Commander. And to insure you have all you need, we are sending Nihlus with you as you hunt down Saren.”

Shepard nodded. “An Honour.” She said.

“This meeting of the council is adjourned.”

~~~@~~~

“Aunt Shepard!” The boy called again and Nihlus smiled as Shepard lifted the by up and held him against her for a few minutes. “Did you get in trouble because I shouted?” he asked as she put him back on his feet.

“Nah, I think you made the Council drop their jaws though.” Shepard said lightly and playfully poking his nose. “Something few have ever done.” She added. Benjamin puffed up his chest proudly and smiled while his mother stood off to the side, smiling at her son’s innocent ways. “Now, shall we go see those stars?” She asked and Benjamin nodded rapidly then paused. 

“Are they coming too?” he asked.

“Who is this little Human?” Wrex asked.

“My nephew.” Shepard smiled. “Benjamin this Wrex, Tali and Garrus, they helped me find some important information on a rouge agent.” She added.

“Do Krogan really have the strength to crush bones in their hands?” Benjamin asked, ignoring the fact that Wrex was huge in comparison to him. “My teacher says they can but he’s never been off Earth so he doesn’t really know.”

Wrex chuckled. “Your teacher is partly correct. Some Krogan do, others don’t, it depends on the Krogan.” 

“Oh. Can you do it?” Benjamin asked.

Wrex smirked. “I have done it before. But those are not stories to share with little ones.”

“I’m old enough to hear scary stories.” The boy protested. 

“Scary, not gory.” Shepard smiled. “Krogan don’t do scary.” Benjamin gave a small huff at not getting a story but in seconds he was quizzing Garrus about Turian face paints and Tali about why she was wearing a suit. 

“Is he always like that?” Wrex asked.

“Yes.” Shepard nodded. “He’s eager to learn everything he can, even if that means he has to ask what seem to be silly or blunt questions.” She added.

“He is smart. For a human.” The Krogan admitted.

“He’s a Jennix, they have always been smart.” Shepard said as they reached the docks and Benjamin instantly tried to find different constellations, while Shepard waved the guards away.

“So many…” the boy said.

“When you are old enough, one day you could go and explore the stars for yourself.” Shepard said, “There are some world that haven’t been charted yet, and many more that haven’t yet been found.”

“You’d come with me, wouldn’t you?” Benjamin asked.

“Maybe, but if you have your own ship, you won’t need me there.” Shepard smiled. “You’d need your own crew,” She said. “Might even have your own star maps, your own little pride and joy.”

“Like my dad?”

“Just like your dad.”

Benjamin smiled and slowly lost himself in the stars and his own thoughts, not noticing the second box of shells Shepard placed in his pocket as she stepped back.

“You don’t know how much that means to him…” his mother said softly. “He’s started to go over his father’s old pictures… he even has the same look in his eyes when he reads his father’s reports…”

“I know what it would mean to me,” Shepard said. “Stay as long as he wants and if anyone give you any trouble, tell them I gave permission for you to stay here.” She assured.

“Thank you, Shepard.”

Shepard nodded and quietly left the docks, heading for the Normandy with a small smile on her face.

A smile that faded when she saw Udina and Anderson talking at the entrance of the docking tube, and judging by the smile on Udina’s face it wasn’t about supplies.

“A wise choice Anderson,” Udina nodded as she came closer, “Ah Commander, just in time to receive the Normandy as your own.”

“You’re giving me to Normandy?” Shepard asked Anderson.

“She’s quick and quiet and you already know the crew. Perfect ship for a spectre, treat her well Commander.” Anderson stated.

“I want the truth, Anderson.” She said. “Why are you stepping down?”

“You needed your own ship, a spectre can’t answer to anyone but the council and it is time I step down anyway.” He said and then sighed as Shepard gave him a hard look. “Twenty years ago I went on a mission with Saren and that mission, like the one on Eden Prime with you and Nihlus, was meant to be my chance at becoming a Spectre, but when things went bad, I chose to reject Saren’s ways of doing things and I was rejected from the Spectres, now you have the chance to make up for my mistakes.”

“You should have told me that before.” Shepard said. “It would have explained a lot.”

“I know, but it isn’t something I am proud of.” Anderson said, “Nihlus is already on the Normandy, waiting for you.”

“Yes Sir.” Shepard said.

Udina nodded. “I have a meeting to get to, I’m sure Anderson will answer any other Questions you might have.” He said leaving towards the elevator.

Once he was gone, Shepard turned back to Anderson. “He told you to step down, didn’t he?”

Anderson sighed. “I blew my chance, Shepard. If helping you stop Saren means I have to step down, so be it. I have already notified the crew about this, and they have all agreed to help you on this mission, this is your show now.” He said. “But remember this; you were human before you became a spectre.”

“I know who and what I am.” Shepard said. “And believe me, being a Spectre may change my access to certain places and things, but it doesn’t change who I am or what I believe in.”

Anderson smiled. “Then let me say good luck and safe flight Commander.” He said. “Now get out there and do us proud.”

“Aye Sir.”

~~~@~~~

Nihlus stood quietly by the star map, thinking carefully over what they knew and where he had reports of Geth sightings.

“Any leads?” Shepard asked from behind him.

“Three that are standing out,” he stated, handing her a data pad, “First ones that came up were sightings of Geth around Noveria and also in the Feros system shortly before the Human Colony there dropped out of contact.” He explained, highlighting the two places. “I have no idea where Saren is, likely hiding himself in the Terminus Systems, but his Geth are searching for clues.”

“He’s looking for the Conduit and if he finds it the Reapers will come back.” Shepard said.

“So we need to find it before he does.” Nihlus said. “Which brings me to the third lead that has popped up.” He added, “It seems that Matriarch Benezia, the one who was talking to Saren about the Reapers, has a daughter. A scientist by the name Liara T’Soni who specializes in the Protheans.” He explained, “Latest reports say she was exploring an Archaeological dig on one of the uncharted world in the Artemis Tau cluster.”

“Then we start there. If she knows anything the longer we leave her the more time Saren has to find her first.” Shepard said. “Or would you advise something else?” She asked.

Nihlus shook his head. “I am here only as an aid to you, I can’t make the call when it’s not my ship.” He said. “Spectres have an unspoken rule, when we work together, whoever controls the ship is the leader, the rest follow them so as of right now, you are in charge.” 

Shepard chuckled. “Fine, then in that light don’t call me Commander. Just Shepard.”

“I can agree to that, Shepard.” He said. “Anything else?”

“Tell me more about the unspoken rules the Spectres have.”

“Spectres don’t often have to work with each other, but when they do, the line of command starts at the longest serving spectre and goes down from there but not all spectres like it and to settle who leads, some spectres partake in sparring matches, whoever wins those matches is leader. Others will form their own splitter groups when working in unison, no bigger than three or four members at a time, each group can complete one mission or a number of missions before they separate again.” Nihlus explained. “We also don’t often take kindly to older spectres trying to preach their ways to younger spectres and it is highly frowned upon for any one spectre to try and push for a loved one or family member to be made a spectre themselves.”

“Has that happened?” She asked.

“No, but the Councillors have sworn that they will protect any family members that a spectre does have. For example, if a spectre has a family and they are well known to the public, the Council can have the family brought to a safe location where they would be protected from any harm and also hidden from the praying eyes of social media if that is what a spectre requests, if the spectre doesn’t believe that their family is not in any danger, they can ask that the Council only keep an eye on their family but not up root them.” Nihlus explained.

“Sound simple.”

“Indeed. Other spectres however have taken to keeping their immediate Family members such as wives, husbands and children or even brothers and sisters traveling with them.” Nihlus stated. “However, most spectres prefer to work and travel alone.”

“Do you prefer it?” Shepard asked.

“Sometimes, I don’t usually go for long haul missions and when I am not working for the Council I pass time on Palaven with small time security details for the Primarch.” Nihlus admitted.

“Sounds fun.”

“It can be, when you aren’t having to dodge his daughters.” Nihlus chuckled. “They insist on trying to introduce me to what they call ‘respectable’ Turian females.” 

“And I thought arranged mates were just a human thing.” Shepard chuckled. “Care to come with us when we find Dr. T’Soni?” She asked. 

“If you will have me along,” He smiled and paused as the pad signalled for their attention. “Therum?” he asked.

“The only planet that has Prothean Ruins on it. Dr. T’Soni might be there.” Shepard said.

“Why are you smiling?” Nihlus asked.

“Because we can take the Mako down there.” She said. “Hope you have a strong stomach.” She added heading off. “Call me if something big shows up.”

“Where are you going?” Nihlus asked.

“To get to know the new crew mates.” Shepard smiled.

~~~@~~~

“You ship runs quieter than most.” Wrex admitted with a smirk. “Most ships make some kind of groaning sound as they move, or a tapping sound but this one isn’t even doing that.”

“She’s new and has both Human and Turian aspects to her design.” Shepard admitted with a smile offering Garrus a glass for his drink while he helped Tali unpack her few belonging into her small room near the drive core, where Wrex and he had also set up their own stuff.

“You ship is amazing!” Tali beamed, “I have never seen such advanced technology before, the Flotilla would never get something like this in my life time.”

“Can’t you trade for something like this? I mean I know Quarians live in their Fleet but surely there is something you can trade?” Garrus offered

“Few other races will trade with Quarians and it’s hard to find good trade when you are always moving.” Tali explained. 

“Good for surviving danger though.” Wrex remarked.

Ashley listened carefully as the four spoke together and enjoyed drinks, now and then Wrex would ask a question but mostly it was Garrus, Tali and Shepard who spoke, Tali about the Quarian people and their fleet and Garrus about his people and the first contact war his father had searched in while Shepard asked for more details.

It didn’t sound like any attempt at finding information she’d ever heard, but she was sure that they weren’t meant to be talking so casually around a Commanding officer.

When Nihlus and Alenko came damn with his armour on and his weapons ready, Shepard excused herself from the talks and armoured up, ready to go down in the Mako while Garrus took a moment to gathers a data pad and offered it to Shepard. “Commander.”

“Mako key card sign out pad, really?” Shepard asked.

“Just the messenger.” Garrus said as Shepard signed the pad. “Thank you.”

~~~@~~~

Nihlus found himself glad he hadn’t eaten anything recently as Shepard parked the Mako up. Kaidan on the other hand, had eaten and it seemed he had a very weak stomach.

“Are you done yet, Alenko?” Shepard asked as Alenko stopped groaning from the back of the Mako.

“Where did you learn to drive?” He asked.

“Do you really want to know the answer to that?” She asked as they headed to the shaky looking lift.

“Ok, it might be wiser for me to stay up here and watch for more Geth?” Kaidan suggested only to be kicked into the lift by Shepard. “Or not.”

“Suck it up Alenko,” She stated while Nihlus twisted the wires to enable them to go down. They reach the bottom and Shepard sighed. “Is it too much to ask that they leave the place undamaged?” She asked, “This is someone’s history.” She added carefully going over the unsteady platforms deeper inside the site. 

“Hello?” A voice called and Shepard looked up to see a faint blue light ahead of them. “Hello? Could someone help me? Please…?” the voice added sounding rather panicked and frightened. “Anyone…?”

“Doctor T’Soni?” Shepard asked as she moved closer to the blue light and found a youngish looking Asari, hovering inside a blue bubble behind a blue barrier. “Are you alright?”

“Yes! Yes, I’m alright, just trapped. Please! I-I need help.” The Asari pleaded looking relieved at the sight of someone who wasn’t Geth. 

“What happened to you?” Shepard asked looking around to see if there was any weakness she would use in the barrier. “I’ve never seen this before.”

“This is a Prothean Security Device,” Liara explained, “I was exploring the ruins when the Geth showed up so I hid in here and activated the tower defences so that the barrier curtains would keep them out. But when I turned it on, I-I must have touched something I shouldn’t have and now I can’t move!”

“Calm down Dr. T’Soni, we’ll get you out, but first we need to figure out how to get in,” Shepard said, carefully looking around the room T’Soni was inside and then around the outside. “Do you know who your mother is working for or where she might be?” Shepard asked.

“And whose side are you on?” Kaidan demanded.

“What? I am not on anyone’s side.” Liara assured frantically. “I may be Benezia’s daughter, but I haven’t spoken to her in years. I’m nothing like her.”

“Tell me how to turn off the barrier.” Shepard said after shooing Alenko away. “Are there other controls somewhere?”

“The controls are in here.” Liara said, using a slight turn of her head and eyes to show Shepard the control panel to her side. “I knew it would keep the Geth out, but it’s now keeping me in.”

“We’ll get you out.” Shepard assured, “Might take a little while but we’ll get you out.”

“Please, be careful. There is a Krogan with the Geth and they have been trying to get past the barrier.” Liara warned as she moved away.

“This place is a mess,” Nihlus said as he looked around, “collapsed tunnels, ruined equipment, not much left of what use to be here…”

“Hello,” Shepard said spotting a large mining laser after searching the area for a while. “Light bulb.”

“What are you talking about?” Alenko asked.

“Watch and learn, Alenko.” She said vaulting the railing and hacking the controls for the laser, smiling as the beam cut into the rocks and uncovered a room under the one Liara was trapped in.

“How’d you know?” Alenko asked in shock.

“I saw the space behind her, it looked more open and likely had more rooms off it, we just had to find the way to get to them.” Shepard said as they went up a level and found Liara hovering in the bubble. “Knock-knock.” 

“How? How did you get in here? I didn’t think there was any way past the barrier.” Liara asked looking back as best she could, though clearly she was relived with the thought of soon being free.

“We used the mining laser to blast the way in.” Shepard explained moving to the controls, “This shuts the field down?” She asked.

“Yes, please hurry before more Geth arrive,” Liara pleaded and Shepard nodded, carefully pressing the controls and turning as Liara was released and landed with a light thump.

“Is there another way out of this place? The lift we used to get down is fried.” Nihlus stated, helping the Asari back to her feet.

“There’s an elevator back in the centre of the tower. At least, I think it’s an elevator.” Liara admitted. “It should take us out of here but I still can’t believe the Geth would come after someone like me. Benezia and I haven’t spoken to each other in years.” 

“Saren is looking for something called the Conduit and your mother is working with him.” Nihlus explained. “She may have sent the Geth here to find you to acquire that information.”

“The Conduit? what is- Whoa!?” Liara began the stopped as the ground and walls began to shake violently and rumble. 

“I don’t like that sound.” Shepard said catching Liara before she could fall again as the floor began to buckle and crack around them. 

“These Ruins aren’t stable,” Liara realized, “The mining laser must have trigged a seismic event.”

“She’s caving in.” Shepard said reaching up to her comm. “Joker! Get the Normandy airborne and lock in on my signal, double time it!”

~“Aye, aye Commander!”~ Joker answered.

“Come on!” Liara called, “This way!” she added leading the way through the shaking and cracking tunnels to reach the lift, Shepard pulling Liara back as a Gunshot hit the ground where she would have been, drawing out her lancer as dirt and dust was thrown up as they reached the top, Kaidan’s arms glowing with Biotic light as Nihlus and Liara prepared to fight behind them.

“Surrender.” A gruff voice growled out. “Or don’t. That would be more fun.” The voice added and Shepard spotted the Krogan head of them along with several Geth.

“You’re in my way,” Shepard growled. “And I don’t have time to be nice.”

The Krogan laughed charging at Shepard as she unloaded her lancer into his Biotic shield only at the last second did she duck under him and unload more rounds into his back, wincing as the lift under her feet began to shake, without thinking she grabbed Liara’s arm and yanked her off the lift as it suddenly dropped back own the hole, taking the Krogan and some Geth with it.

“Go!” Nihlus took point as they ran, vaulting the fallen rocks and beams, growling as the dust clouded his vision as they went on. 

“Watch out!” Alenko yelled as a large section of the roof came down around them.

“Move!” Shepard yelled from a few feet behind him as she covered the rear.

“To the left!” Liara yelled out as they reached a tunnel, once out in the open air, Shepard waited until everyone else was on the ship before she boarded and leant heavily on her knees panting. 

“Did you pick up the Mako?” 

~“She’s in the cargo bay.”~ Garrus assured over the comms. ~“What did you drive her into? A Mountain?”~

“Some Geth, a few small rocks and maybe a couple of walls.” Nihlus said smirking.

“Moving Walls!” Shepard defended hearing Garrus groan about fixing the damage. “Oh hush. And get to the Comm room for debriefing. Alenko, Williams, Wrex and Tali, you too.” 

“Aye Ma’am.”


	2. A new pack

Chapter 2  
A new pack.

“Ten more seconds and we’d have been swimming in molten sulphur,” Joker said, “Please, no more trying to land in exploding volcanoes, Commander.”

“Your pilot enjoys jokes it seems.” Liara said.

“He breaks up the tension,” Shepard smiled, “Human thing that you get use to, or so I’m told.”

“I see, I admit I haven’t had much time around humans, but I owe you for saving my life. If you hadn’t I’m not sure what would have happened.” Liara asked.

“What does Saren want with you?” Kaidan asked, “Do you know something about the Conduit?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but if Saren was looking for me, then this Conduit must have something to do with the Prothean Extinction.” Liara said, “That’s been my area of expertise for the past fifty years, trying to find out what happened to them.”

“Fifty years?” Shepard asked, “How old are you?”

“One hundred and six.” Liara admitted with a light blush.

“Damn, I hope I look that good when I’m your age.” Ashely said with admiration. 

“And that is why I wish I was an Asari sometimes.” Shepard smiled. “You never look aged like we do.”

“A Century may see like a long time to a short-lived species like yours, but among the Asari I’m barely considered more than a child,” Liara admitted, “That is why my research is ignored and my theories on what happened to the Protheans are rejected by the Asari Scholars.”

“I’ve got my own theory on that.” Shepard sighed. “none too nice.”

“With all due respect Commander, I have heard every theory out there. The Problem is finding evidence to support them. The Protheans left so little behind,” Liara said, “It is like someone came along after the Protheans were gone and took away any and all clues in the galaxy.”

“Cycle of life and death.” Shepard said.

“What?” Liara asked.

“Life and death is one endless cycle, one life leads into death and from that death a new life can begin. Best evidence you find on that is in flowers.” Shepard explained. “One flower dies, but in the following year a new flower grows, might not be the same as before but it could only grow because the flower before it died and fertilized the earth for it.”

“It makes sense,” Liara said with a nod, “And it also explained a few things in my findings.” She added.

“What have you found?” Shepard asked.

“According to my finding, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysteriously vanish, there were someone before them.” Liara explained. “I tracked down every scrap and shard of evidence of the Protheans and eventually I saw subtle patterns starting to emerge, patterns that hinted at the truth, this pattern, the cycle of life and death as you called it, has repeated itself many times over. The Protheans began on one small world until they spanned the entire Galaxy but they only did so by climbing up on the remains of those who came before them. Even the Mass Relays and the Citadel are based on the technology of those who came before them. But I haven’t yet figured out how or why they vanished. That is what I have dedicated my life to finding out.”

“They were wiped out by a race of Sentient Machines. The Reapers.” Shepard said. “There was a damaged Prothean beacon on Eden Prime, it burned a vision into my head and I’m still trying to sort out what it all means, between helping trapped Asari, telling the Council to get their heads out of their asses and chasing Saren down.” She added. 

“The Geth and Saren were there, attacking the colony when it happened and that is how we found out about his betrayal to the Council.” Nihlus explained. “Tali was able to gain more evidence from a Geth memory core that lead us on the path of the Conduit and the Reapers…”

“Visions? Yes that does make sense. The Protheans made the beacons as a way to communicate their messages into the mind of the users, normally other Protheans.” Liara said sounding existed as she thought over her work and research. “And it would also explain why the Geth attacked Eden Prime. Even damaged, working Prothean beacons are extremely rare, but the beacons were only programmed to interact with Prothean physiology, so whatever information it gave to you would have been confused and unclear.” 

“It came through pretty clear to me.” Shepard admitted, “lots of death, and lots of screaming.”

“I am amazed that you were able to make sense of it at all. A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed by the process, or even comatose for life. You must be remarkably strong willed.” Liara said.

“You can say that again.” Nihlus chuckled and Shepard waved him off.

“This isn’t helping us find Saren or the Conduit.” Kaidan partly snapped.

“Hold your tongue.” Shepard growled at the Lieutenant then looked at Liara. “Do you have any idea why Saren would want you, Liara?” she asked.

“I have no idea, before the Geth attacked those Ruins you found me in I wasn’t even aware of anyone by that name.” Liara said shaking her head. “Unfortunately, I have no idea what, or indeed if any of my information could help you find the Conduit. Or Saren.” She added ducking her head.

“I think we may be better off if we bring you along Liara.” Shepard said, glaring at Kaidan to silence him from speaking again. “I need someone who knows Prothean tech and someone who can help me try to make sense of the vision the beacon gave me.”

“And her biotics will come in handy when the fighting starts.” Wrex stated.

“I can stay?” Liara asked in some shock.

Shepard smiled and nodded. “Welcome aboard.”

“Thank you.” Liara said.

“Garrus, show Liara to Dr. Chakwas and then make sure she gets something to eat as well.” Shepard stated. “The rest of you are dismissed.” 

“Aye Ma’am.”

Shepard watched them leave and then sighed heading to her room she sat on the bed. Thinking over a few things as she tried to think where to go from here.

Saren had the Geth and a powerful Asari at his command and that was bad, he also had a ship and an unknown number of allies, also bad. He didn’t have Liara thanks to her and that had likely pissed him off, that was a bonus. Likely, Saren had some information about her and that could be extremely dangerous for anyone she knew back home, thankfully she knew no one would tell Saren about her connections to those people. 

She had to find some way of making sense of the vision, that somehow she hoped, would set her on the right path to finding the Conduit before Saren and stopping him bring back the Reapers.

~“Shepard?”~

“Yes Alenko?” She answers her comm. 

~“Ma’am… may I speak with you privately?”~ He asked.

“If you’re going to ask why I appear to have an issue with you, then yes you may, for anything else, stow it.” She said.

~“Alright, why do you have an issue with me?”~ He asked. ~“Is it because I’m a L-2?”~

“No. And I’ll have you know I don’t care what you are, I have an issue with you because you had no rights to snap at Liara in the debriefing the way you did, it was rude and uncalled for. That was one mistake on your part on pissing me off.” She said. “You also have no need to speak for me and before you ask when you did that, think back to when we first met Garrus and the tone you used when telling me about the Council waiting for us and what else you said.” She added.

Alenko went very quiet before he spoke. ~“Ma’am… I…”~

“I don’t need people who think that they can talk over or for me and if you want to stay on this mission, I suggest you learn that.”

~“Ma’am all due respect but I was trying to do my job… I wasn’t trying to speak for you.”~ He said. 

“Then in future do not speak unless spoken too.” Shepard said and then cut the link.

“Umm, is this a bad time?” Garrus asked from the door way.

“No, what’s the matter?” Shepard asked.

“Mako card.” Garrus said offering her the signed data pad to say the card had been taken out but not yet signed back in and Shepard realized she hadn’t returned the card after boarding the ship.

“Ah,” She said fishing the card out of her armour side panel and tossed it to him and after carefully signing the pad again she nodded. “Thank you Garrus.”

“Commander… What are you going to do now?” he asked. “About finding Saren I mean…”

“I’m working on that,” She said. “If we rush, he will know we are clueless… but if we stay stagnant too long, he will know we can’t find him.”

“Maybe you could ask Liara if she knows where any other Large Prothean ruins, maybe they can help us find the Conduit or at least give us some clues.” He suggested.

“I don’t want to stress Liara too much so soon. It’s likely not easy for her to accept that her mother is working with someone like Saren.” She admitted. 

“Do you think her mother knew about the attack?” Garrus asked.

Shepard shook her head. “I don’t know but if she did, I can’t imagine that Liara would have been hurt. Maybe there is something we’re missing.” She said.

“Like what?”

“Ask me one on Turain’s in hot pink paint, I haven’t a damn clue about any of this…” She said.

“Hot pink? Wait, you did that to General Corinthus?” Garrus asked.

“He technically did it to himself, I only threw the can as a distraction.” Shepard stated and smirked at Garrus’ failed attempts to hide his amusement. “Do all Turians know about that?” She asked.

“One of the crew mates and my creds are on Victus, posted the vids on the Turian wide net,” Garrus explained, “he got a few funny looks for a few days, but he took it in good faith even said he’d try it on cadets in boot camps.” He said.

“Oh god.” Shepard chuckled. “I knew it would be funny on the day but I didn’t think it would start a trend.” She said.

“Speaking of trends… why do you say ‘Light Bulb’?” He asked.

“Oh that,” Shepard smiled. “It’s just something I use to say as a cadet after watching too many old Cartoon Vids in boot camp, when the characters had ideas, a lightbulb would appear and light up over their heads, I never really got it until Admiral Moore explained that having an idea was also called a light bulb moment.” She said.

“I sort of understand it.” Garrus said. “It just seemed odd to me when I heard Nihlus say you mentioned a light bulb while in the mines.” 

“Yea. I said the same thing when I threw the paint can at Corinthus.” Shepard chuckled. “I didn’t think it would be so much of a mess, but I guess his shot hit the lid with enough force to knock it off.”

“Ahem.” Nihlus cleared his throat. “Council wants to talk to us both Commander.” He said.

Garrus politely nodded and excused himself back to the cargo bay while Shepard and Nihlus headed to the Comms room. He set the Mako card back in the six wheel vehicle before going back to his calibration, ignoring the stare he got from Ashley every now and then until she slipped away likely going up to her room. There was a rumbling snort and Garrus looked over to the bunks at his right and relaxed realizing the snoring was from Wrex, it must have been late in the Krogan was sleeping. 

Tali came down a few minutes later and found Garrus closing up his consul and quietly climbing into his bunk, seeing her the Turian gave a kind wave. “Something wrong Tali?” he asked.

“Just wondering if there are any spare blankets here… it is rather cool aboard this ship.” She admitted a little shyly.

Garrus nodded to the crate where the spare blankets were kept. “There’s four in there and if you need bigger ones I heard Nihlus saying the Commander keeps a spare set of large blankets in her cabin.”

“Thank you.” She said and after taking a blanket, she headed to her own bunk, climbing up into the thin ben above Wrex and neatly folded the new blanket over the old one, sighing softly as she slipped off to sleep. Garrus laid down on his bunk and yawned before drifting into sleep, lulled to sleep by the soft hum of the Cargo bay walls.

~~~@~~~

She fell down, her hands behind her head and took a breath, then pulled herself, so her forehead touched her knees before falling back down.

“This is not what I would call ‘sleeping at night’ Marie.” Chakwas stated as she leant in the door way and watched Marie lower herself again looking at her upside down. “And that much blood rushing to your head is not doing you any good.”

“Keeps me focused on something other than just how fucked up things are.” Shepard admitted. “Anderson’s been forced to stand down, I’m suddenly a Spectre, and the mentor of my mentor tried to kill him and everyone on Eden Prime and now I’m chasing him down with no leads, no clue what the fuck I’m gonna do when I catch the guy and to top it all off nicely with a cherry and cream, I have a L-2 who can’t get it through his head I am not some D.I.D who needs some big strong fucker to help me talk to the people on my ship.”

“Time.” Chakwas said and Shepard automatically flipped down from the beam in her room and began to stretch. “It is not your duty to carry the weight on your ow now that you are a spectre Marie. And for all their rantings, the Council knows better than to push too far for results from you, they saw what you did while recovering from Akuze.”

“I would hope that was enough to tell them I’m not interested in some political game Udina plays all the time.” She said yawning as she removed the weighted gloves and bands from her arms. “I’m not doing this to win favours or prove to them that humanity is ready to be part of the big picture. I’m doing this because Saren tried to kill Nihlus in cold blood and caused the deaths of the colonists on Eden Prime.”

Chakwas smiled as the Commander yawned again, “Let’s talk about it in the morning.” She said and chuckled as Shepard shook her head.

“I’m not tired,” She said though she was yawning again.

“Yes you are.” Chakwas said, “Bed.”

“Yes mother.” Shepard huffed though Chakwas had heard the words enough to know there was no malice or insult behind them, it was just Shepard’s way of letting Chakwas win without losing face, a habit that streets had left her with.

“Good night Shepard.”

“Good night Chakwas.” Shepard smiled and clutched the tags lightly in her hand as she slowly drifted into sleep.

~~~@~~~

Liara was just starting to wake a few hours later when she saw the Commander in the medical bay, one hand tightly clenching and unclenching her left hand around something that changed shape and shifted as Chakwas gently checked her back and arms for some kind of injury. 

“Any more pains?” Chakwas asked.

The Commander shook her head, “No, that damn vision woke me and I felt like my back was on fire…” Shepard said, “Got anything in your medical lab that makes dreams and visions go away?”

“You know the answer to that.” Chakwas said, “So far as I can tell your body is reacting to what you see, but there is no real sign of injury to your body from the vision. The pains are likely something akin to phantom pains.”

“So, I just have to grin and bear it?” Shepard asked and Chakwas nodded. “Great. How’s Liara doing?”

“She’s fine physically, but after hearing so much information yesterday and the news about her mother I would like her to stay off duty a little longer.” Chakwas explained moving back to let Shepard stand up. “I don’t want to rush her into the crew life after yesterday’s lessons in history and finding out about her mother.”

“Yea, I can’t imagine that kind of news goes down well with anyone.” Shepard said, handing Chakwas the ball she’d been squeezing. “Let me know when she’s fit for duty, anything she can tell us about the Protheans, even if it’s not solid facts, could help us find an edge against Saren.”

“You don’t care that my information might not be accurate?” Liara asked in shock.

“Like you said, the Protheans left so little behind that no one really knows what happened.” Shepard said. “You look better than you did when you came aboard.”

“Dr. Chakwas assures me I am going to be fine and I admit I was impressed by her knowledge of Asari physiology,” Liara admitted, wringing her hands lightly. “I never properly thanked you for saving me from those Geth. If you hadn’t…”

“Saving people is becoming a habit if mine,” Shepard assured with a smile. “And you’re in the best hands with Doctor Chakwas, she knows what she’s doing and has saved my life many times.”

Liara smiled and nodded, then sighed shaking her head. “I know you took a change bringing me aboard your ship, Commander, I have seen the way your fellow human crew mates look at me, they do not trust me because of who my mother is and who she is working for, but I am nothing like her.”

“I know you’re not.” Shepard assured.

“How can you know that?” Liara asked. “You hardly know me.”

“Gut feeling and common sense.” Shepard said, “You don’t hide the fact you are nervous when you talk about what you do and don’t know, you had no idea your mother was helping Saren until we told you and you had no idea why we were there to find you, I saw the look in your eyes when we arrived. You also haven’t lied to me about what you’ve said nor lied about what you know about the Protheans. I may be younger than you, but you haven’t learnt how to hide your real feelings or how you view things.”

Liara’s face broke into a smile. “Thank you, Shepard. I promise I will do whatever I can to help you stop Saren.”

“I know you will.”

~ “Commander, Nihlus has something on the Galaxy map.” ~ Joker called over the comms.

“And duty calls.” Shepard sighed. “I’ll come back when you are ready for duty and help you settle in you’re a bunk.” She assured and she left the room.

~~~@~~~

“What’s up Nihlus?”

“Just not sure what I’m seeing.” Nihlus said as she joined him at the map, “Asteroid X57 looks to be on a crash course with Terra Nova.” He said indicating to the area in the map.

Shepard watched for a moment than nodded. “It’d be good to start looking there for any other lost clues, it’s close to Eden Prime so we might find something that would help us track down Saren.” She added.

“Good thinking.” Nihlus said.

“Joker, head for Terra Nova.” Shepard said and headed for the lower decks, “Who want to go for a ride in the Mako?”

“I am not riding in the Mako with her again.” Kaidan said already going green in the face at the thought.

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad.” Tali said, “Is it?” She asked Nihlus as he came down.

“Nah, just don’t eat anything before going out with her,” he said, smiling as Ashley huffed. 

“Shouldn’t have had dinner yet.” Ashely sighed.

“Where are we going?” Garrus asked from his place by the lockers, cleaning his rifle.

“Asteroid X57.” Shepard said, “It’s heading towards Terra Nova and if it hits, the whole place is going to look like some kind of remake of the Dinosaur extinction.”

“Shit.” Ashley said.

“Wrex, Tali, suit up, you’re coming with me, Nihlus I want you to keep searching for anything Geth, Saren or Prothean related.” Shepard stated as she signed out the Mako key card again.

“Yes Ma’am.”

~“Commander, you might want to hear this.”~ Joker said, patching opening the ship wide comms just as Shepard strapped herself into the Mako, seeing Wrex pull Tali’s belt tighter for her.

~“Status; Sensors reveal three fusion torches propelling Asteroid X57.”~ The VI said. ~“At current rate of acceleration, X57 will collide with Terra Nova in four hours. Analysis; Torches must be disabled to cease the acceleration.”~

“Drop us on that moving rock Joker,” Shepard said, grabbing the gear shift and the controls for the Mako. “We shut down those torches we can try and stop this damn thing.” She added.

~“Aye ma’am.”~

~“Hello?”~ A voice asked over the comms as they were thrown from the Normandy. ~“Hello? Can anyone hear me?”~ Shepard held up a hand for comm silence, listening carefully to this known woman. ~“I heard your transmission. They haven’t found me yet but I can’t talk long. Please, shut down the torches or we’re all going to die… God I hope you’re hearing this.”~

Shepard felt the Mako bounce and swung them around, heading towards the torches, then stopped with a harsh slam of the breaks. “Wrex?” She asked looking towards a ridge.

“Looks like a shack.” Wrex said as he jumped out of the Mako and went to investigate. “Body.” 

Shepard joined him and crouched down to look over the body and sighed. “Human… looks like he was executed…” she said taking the tags from the man’s neck. “Engineer G. Mendel.” 

“Brutal.” Tali said looking over the body. “Who would do this?”

“Slavers.” Wrex stated, “Too messy to be a Merc.” 

“We need to fix the transmitter, it will boost out comms and it should give us an open line to see whoever is doing this.” Shepard said.

“If it smells like Slavers and looks like Slavers.” Wrex began.

“Then it is Slavers. I know.” Shepard said. “But who?” she asked as they climbed back into the Mako, heading towards the transmitter they could see on the map the Normandy VI was sending them. “We’ll search the Asteroid when this is done.” She added.

They headed towards the Torches, Tali repairing the damaged transmitter while Wrex and Shepard kept watch before they headed down into the valley where the torches were set up, forcing the asteroid onwards. 

~“You’re headed in the right direction.”~ That same voice said over the comms, clearer now that the transmitter was working. ~“I don’t know who you are, but I’m—Damn it! Got to go.”~ She said in a panic before the line cut off again. 

Shepard looked at Wrex and Tali, “Ideas?” She asked as they kept moving in the Mako.

“It’s not Geth…” Tali said. “No one would be able to escape them if they were using comms. And they wouldn’t do what was done to the Engineer we found.”

“Then what would?” Shepard asked unloading a few rounds into the heavy turret that they were unable to avoid. “Ok… figure that out later, shoot shit now.” She said.

“Aye, Ma’am.” Wrex said taking hold of the heavy gun controls while Tali scanned for other targets. 

Once the turrets were down, Wrex found a door and punched it open. “Knock-knock.” He said.

Shepard chuckled and they headed inside, taking care around the corners and doorways, Tali carefully scanning their path of hidden traps while Wrex and Shepard opened doors. 

Shepard hissed as they came upon one room and took something form her left hip side panel as the scent of blood washed over her nose. Wrex opened the door and heaved up his shot gun, while Tali took a moment to keep from being sick.

“Batarians!” Shepard growled, watching the two seeming heavily armed aliens turn to face them while their two beasts ripped a human corpse apart.

“Harak!” One snarled and the two beasts snarled leaving the corpse and charging the new comers. “Chekt! Chekt! Release the Varren!!”

“Bring ‘em on.” Shepard snarled and charged forwards, slashing the Verran’s necks open with a knife of some kind as they charged her, using her pistol to shoot down Batarians as they tried to hide hearing Wrex and Tali take out a fair few themselves.

“Negative Contacts Commander.” Tali said as the last Batarian fell.

“Good riddance.” Wrex said. 

“Come on, we have to shut down the torches.” Shepard said moving up the stairs they’d found, wiping her blade carefully on her arm and using the reflective surface to watch for movement ahead of them.

They found none and with a little work, Tali was able to shut down the Torch. “Got it.” The Quarian said with a smile in her voice.

~“I’m reading that the troch is offline…”~ the female voice stated again, this time through a consul close to them. ~“Was that you? Can you hear me?”~

“Who are you and what is going on here?” Shepard asked firmly.

~“My name is Kate Bowman, an Engineer. I was part of the team assigned to bring this asteroid to Terra Nova. We were attacked yesterday by Batarian Extremists. I’ve been hiding since they arrived… I think they know that the torch went out.”~ Kate stated. 

“Why are they doing this Kate?” Shepard asked. “What use is killing so many?”

~“I don’t know, but if this rock isn’t slowed, millions of people on Terra Nova will die.”~

“We know,” Shepard said. “What more can you tell me?”

~“If I find out anything I’ll-”~ there was a loud clatter. ~“I’ve got to go, Good Luck.”~

~~~@~~~

Nihlus watched through the recorded footage Tali, Wrex and Shepard were sending back to the ship, slightly worried about how different Shepard seemed to be behaving now she knew there were slavers on the Asteroid. 

“She’s not one to stand by and allow slavery.” A voice stated and Nihlus turned to find Chakwas stood behind him. “Marie, I mean.” She said.

“Has she always been this way when fighting them?” he asked.

“I don’t know, but I do know that she becomes more reliant of her streets skills then her Alliance training when dealing with situations like this. I have heard reports from Former Admiral Moore about how reluctant she was as a cadet to leave that knife behind even when just going to the local shops.” The medical officer said. “This is a side of Shepard I hoped wouldn’t resurface.” She admitted.

“How do you know she will return to Alliance methods next time?” Nihlus asked.

“I don’t, but it is not my place to tell a Spectre how to fight.” Chakwas said.

“True.” Nihlus said and rightly, he had no place to tell Shepard how to fight either, though he promised himself he would ask her a few questions about it when they got back.

~~~@~~~

Finding the bodies of dead engineers while they switched off the second torch had given Shepard a very bad feeling, the killing methods were brutal beyond anything she had seen Batarians do before and hearing over the comms what had happened to Kate and her brother Aaron, she was starting to get pissed. They’d managed to cut down a few more Batarian squads and bumped into the head engineer who was trying to hide in the lower levels of the bunker, now they were searching out other places on the Asteroid to find survivors.

Not easy when every hall way seemed to hold more Batarians and their pets.

“This bastard is really getting under my skin.” She growled unloading another clip into a Batarian at the third torch, Tali having to duck down to avoid being hit while Wrex threw the Varren into the wall and then snapped its neck after it tried to bite Tali’s arm off.

“So, let’s get rid of him!” Wrex cackled. “This is the most fun I’ve had in a while!” 

“Hold it!” A voice called out after they had such down the torch. “This doesn’t have to end in bloodshed.” 

Shepard held a hand up to Stop rex and Tali shooting. “Talk fast, Slaver.” She growled, making sure the Batarians could see her knife and the stains of their kins blood over her armour. 

“Don’t come any closer.” The apparent leader of the group stated. “We can do this the hard way, or we can do this peacefully.”

“A Batarian that dares to use the term peacefully in front of a human who has just offed his kin? I didn’t think your kind even knew the meaning of the word.” Shepard said. 

“Look, I’m just doing my job. Hijacking this rock wasn’t my idea,” the Batarian stated. “Name’s Charn.”

“I don’t care who you are. Slavers don’t get names in my eyes.” Shepard hissed. “This stopped being a slave grab a long time ago and now millions will die because of you.”

“Hey, this wasn’t my idea,” Charn stated. “If it was up to me, we’d have left already.”

“Then get lost.” Shepard snarled. “Before I bury my knife into your brain.”

“Balak would skin me alive and sell my hide out of spite if I tried.” Charn said. “He wanted to get back at the humans for some reason or other and now I’m gonna be the one who pays for it.”

“Leave this Balak to me.” Shepard said. “But I catch you in Human territory again, you’re hide is mine. We clear?” She said.

Charn gave her an odd look then turned to the two with him for a moment. “Shut it down, this is Balak’s fuck up now.” He said, then pulled out a card from his side pocket. “Balak’s hold up in the main Facility, you’ll need this to get in.” he said handing to card to her. 

“You got ten minutes before I tell my ship to start firing.” She said and the Batarian quickly lead his group out. 

“Why spare them?” Tali asked.

“Because they aren’t the ones who pissed me off.” Shepard said looking over the card. “Balak’s my target.” She added. “Let go.”

They reached the main facility and Shepard smiled when she spotted the hostages. “Kate?” She asked.

“In here… Oh god they set charges everywhere!” the woman said. “Please hurry.”

“Stay clam Kate, we got this.” Shepard said.

“You humans.” A Batarian scoffed and Shepard turned at the sound of a Varren growling behind her from the top of some stairs. 

“Balak I assume?” Shepard asked.

“You’re more trouble than I thought you’d be and more so then you are worth.”

“Try it slave driver.” Shepard said, “I’ve killed enough Batarians to know where your weak spots are and that Pet of yours will go down with you,” She assured now twirling Fang over her fingers. “Let them go and maybe I’ll drag you before the Council for punishment.” 

“I do not answer to the council!” Balak snarled. “Or you.” He added. “I rigged the charges with a timer, even if you killed me they will go off.”

“You think you’ll stay a free man if you run?” Shepard asked. “You’ll have nowhere to go, no Batarian crew will take you and no race will trust you when news of this spreads and believe me it will. You’ll be hunted by every fleet in the galaxy.” 

“Maybe.” Balak said. “Those chargers are still rigged. I suggest you hurry.” He said before a wave of drones attacked.

“Go Shepard!” Wrex yelled as he and Tali took aim at the drones.

~~~@~~~

“She’s letting him go?” Nihlus asked in shock.

“Only for today.” Chakwas assured, “She is right, every fleet will be on the lookout for him now.”

Nihlus looked over the recordings and nodded, it was true Balak had not given himself any friends in his actions, even in his own kind it seemed. He paused and listened as Shepard’s comm picked up her conversation with the chief engineer.

~“I let him go to save the hostages.”~ She said to answer a question he had asked.

~“Let a terrorist go or sacrifice innocent lives. I’m glad it wasn’t a choice I had to make…”~ the old man said. ~“Will you get into any trouble for that?”~

~“Balak will be hunted for the rest of his days, he can only hide for so long, even if I don’t catch him, someone will and he will face his punishment for this,”~ she assured, ~“I found the bodies of the crew mates you mentioned. Here are their tags.”~

~“Thank you, it is better than not knowing. Thank you Shepard.”~ The head Engineer said.

~“Joker, come pick us up.”~ Shepard said into the comms. ~“And don’t forget the Mako.”~

~“Aye Commander.”~ Joker answered.

“Strange.” Nihlus said, “In all I have read she would have killed him.” He added.

~“I will never sacrifice the lives of innocents who just happen to be in the way of me and my target,”~ Shepard aid over the comms. ~“It’s not my way, Nihlus and it never will be.”~

“You can hear me?” he asked in shock.

~“You left the comm open.”~ Shepard said. ~“I will never see innocent lives suffer just so I can get a job done.”~

“I see that… seems I still have a lot to learn about you, Shepard.” He said.

~“Try talking to me, not reading what others think.”~ She suggested. ~“Bring me some Moonshine and I might even bring you some Turian friendly stakes.”~ She added. 

“You have those on the Normandy?” Nihlus asked. 

~“I can get them.”~ She promised.

~~~@~~~ 

She hadn’t been kidding.

Not two hours after they had got to the Mass Relay and gone back to the Citadel, Shepard had come back and brought a good half a butcher’s shop of Turian and Quarian friendly foods, from Salads to meats, along with the usually human foods. She’d also stocked up on drinks and somehow she’d got some bottles of Moonshine and some other good liquors for times of celebration. 

“How do you hold that stuff?” Ashley asked watching Shepard hide two of the moonshine bottles under her bunk with lock and key.

“I have eighteen years of practice.” Shepard said with a smile.

“Shepard, there is a little boy on the comms asking for you.” Liara said as she came by the door helping Tali move some new weapons and armours into the ship. 

“Thank you Liara.” She smiled and headed to the comms room, chuckling at the sight before her. “Hello Benjamin.”

~“Hi Aunt Shepard, guess what!”~ Benjamin said smiling and bouncing on his toes.

“Hmmmmm... you’re buying a big house with lots of hidden doors?” She asked and chuckled as Benjamin shook his head and the smile on his face made Shepard feel proud.

~“Better, mum said I can go to Basic Boot camp this year. I’m going to be a Cadet!”~ The boy cheered. ~“I’ll learn just like my dad did, then when I got to Basic training I’ll be just like him.”~

“Oh? I don’t think so,” Shepard smiled. “I think you will be a little bit younger than him. Remember your father didn’t go to the Alliance Basic until he was nineteen.” She reminded.

~“I know but I’ll still be like him, I’ll work hard and I’ll be a solider like him and like you.”~

Shepard chuckled smiling sadly. “Benjamin if you end up like me, I think your mother would be very unhappy.”

~“Why?”~ Benjamin asked. ~“Were you a bad student?”~

“No… But I have a lot of scars and a lot of bad things happened before I got to N-7… if you end up like me, you might not come out the other side like I have and that will upset your mum.” She explained. “You remember when I first met you? When I wasn’t in any armour and you hugged me?”

~“Yea, you started to shake really bad, like you were cold. I thought I’d hurt you.”~ Benjamin admitted. 

“You didn’t… in fact you did the opposite, you made me better… a lot better.” She admitted, “When you go into Basic, promise me something?”

~“Anything Aunt Shepard.”~ Benjamin smiled. 

“Don’t follow my steps, make your own path and find what you enjoy, if that means you end up as an Officer like your dad, then go that way, but if you feel you fit better elsewhere like in Engineering or Comms, you’ll try those paths too.” She said.

~“I promise Aunt Shepard. Cross my heart and swear on the tags.”~ Benjamin said. 

“Good lad.” She prised and then chuckled as Benjamin’s mother joined him in the screen and smiled. “I trust all else is well? No scrapping in the school yard?”

~“No ma’am, I finished all my homework, and I did all the cleaning today, made my bed and I fixed the mower.”~

Nihlus watched and listened quietly from his station, amazed at the detail the human child was giving Shepard, as if he were actually serving under her on a ship.

~“Will you come back soon Aunt Shepard?”~ Benjamin asked.

“I don’t know yet, Benjamin.” She said, “I still have to find that agent that went rouge. But once that’s done, I should be home. And then you can tell me everything about Basic Boot camp.” 

~“Aye, aye Ma’am.”~ Benjamin smiled before the comm cut out.

“Has he always been so cute?” Ashley asked.

“Yea, he’ll be a real ladies man when he hits his teens.” Shepard smiled, “I think I might have to get him a sensor that scares off unworthy girls.” 

Ashley and a few other women in the crew chuckled, confusing Nihlus a little, “Um, the Turian is lost.” He admitted.

“Some girls only want a guy for his money or his rank.” Ashley explained. “Some can be obvious that they aren’t really interested in the guy for who he is, but others can be really nasty about it and hurtful.”

“Sounds harsh.” Nihlus said.

“It is and unfortunately some girls use the Woman’s Rights act as an excuse to be cruel and hurtful towards men.” Shepard said. “Back when Earth was still young and humanity was basically ruled by men, woman didn’t have any rights besides sit in a chair, sip tea and talk about the weather with other ladies, nothing else.”

“That… doesn’t seem like something you humans would do.” Garrus said helping Wrex and Tali store weapons.

“Well long story short, woman stopped just being ‘items’ to men and eventually we took more control, but even now, there are still men who think that a woman should just sit and look nice beside them and some woman who believe that men should be shown what it’s like to be treated like a thing not a person.” Shepard explained with a huff. “And boys like Benjamin, they have too big and kind of a heart to realize sometimes just how nasty some girls are.”

~“And lord help anyone who angers the great Shepard by messing with her nephew.”~ Someone said over the comms and Shepard smiled. ~“Is this a bad time?”~

“Not at all Amber.” Shepard smiled at the woman on the other end of the vid com, dressed in a log skirt and blouse. “How are things in the intel office?”

~“They’re moving slowly, I am still struggling with little things, but I think those old photos helped.”~ She said, ~“Now what’s this I hear about a Batarian?”~ She asked.

“Balak. Batarian Terrorist, I need you to have his name added to the Alliance Most Wanted list and could you ask that the Hanar and Council are made aware of this, that guy gave me that feeling in my neck.”

~“Got it,”~ Amber said, ~“Oh and Shepard, I got a few messages from Moore for you, he says you missed two boring parties, so nothing big but he did mention something about Udina getting his drink spiked. And there is something else…”~

“Amber?” Shepard asked.

~“Jade’s family has had another baby…”~

“Boy or girl?” Shepard asked.

~“Girl.”~ Amber paused. ~“Shepard, she’s a biotic like Jade.”~

Shepard smiled, “You’re worried someone will take her away?” she asked and Amber nodded. “If anyone so much as breaths the term Brain Camp in your direction, have them locked up and let Moore hear about it. And if anyone else has an issue with that, send them my way and I will make them go for a nose dive out of a very high building or throw them out an airlock.”

~“You’ll do that?”~ Amber asked.

“I owe Jade my life, if I have to come to earth and sit outside her baby sister’s room until she’s eighteen to keep her safe, I will.” Shepard said. “And if Moore hears that someone is trying to take her away, he’ll sit there himself, heck he’d likely call Anderson and demand 24/7 protection for the kid.” 

Amber smiled. ~“Thank you Shepard.”~

“I told you Amber, you need anything from me just ask, I’ll do it.” 

~“I’ll remember that.”~ Amber nodded before the comm went quiet again.

“Was that Madam Ruby?” Ashley asked. “As in, THE Madam Ruby, only child of the great Ruby mine owner and head of Earth’s interspecies relations?”

“Yes and yes.” Shepard smiled. “I was her wife’s friend.”

“Adopted Sister.” Chakwas corrected from the end of the table.

“Hush you.” Shepard said playfully tossing a cleaning rag at the doctor. “It was never official.” She added pouring herself a glass of what everyone assumed was moonshine. 

“Doesn’t matter to the Kirana family.” Chakwas smiled, catching the rag, “You’re listed in their family as adopted daughter and sister to them. Even Madam Ruby has you down as a sister in law on paper work.” She said.

“And Benjamin insists on calling you Aunt.” Garrus pointed out, “Sounds like you have a family ready to fight your corner if need be.” He added.

“Yea… I just wish it hadn’t been because of the loss of others.” She said.

Chakwas sighed. “No one could have known what would happen when you landed on Akuze.” She said. “And if they were still alive today, you would still have a family with them,” she added.

“Call it Survivor’s Guilt.” Shepard said. “Fifty of us went down there and I was the only one who came back up…”

“What happened?” The question came from Liara, but Shepard knew it was the question no one else wanted to ask.

Shepard sighed, refilling her glass. “It was 2177, I’d just started trail to advance from N-5 to N-6 aboard the Everfree, under the Command of Commander N-7 Simon Greens, when the call came that Akuze’s ESC colony hadn’t been in contact for 24 hours and we, being the closest ship to the planet, were sent to see what was wrong.” She explained. “After rescheduling the challenge we were meant to be on with the Turians, we set out and found the place was a ghost colony, no people, no robots, not even a cyber-pet to be seen, just a lot of empty and perfect buildings. As far as it looked to us, everyone had just vanished into thin air.”

“Why don’t I like the way that sounds?” Garrus asked.

“Because it wasn’t as simple as that.” Shepard nodded. “The Colony was being repaired by prototype cleaning drones, they had cleaned and rebuilt the colony before we arrived after the first attack and while we had been moving around on the ground out footsteps had been making vibrations in the ground. We found the footage of the attack thanks to Comms Officer Jennie Ken. She was the best hacker we had.” She smiled a little then shook her head. “All hell came down on us after that.”

The crew listened, some shocked into horror, others going pale at the details Shepard was sharing about how her former crew had died until only she the Commander, the Lieutenant and one of the Marines was left.

“Jennix died saving us from the third Maw, biggest of the three of them. It came up under him and then slammed into the side of the rocks around us and brought them down, crushed the Commander to death, leaving myself and Lieutenant Jade Kirana alive,” Shepard sighed, looking down at her arm, seeing the faintest marks of the stim packs she’d jabbed herself with to keep going. “She told me to leave her, but I wouldn’t, I’d lost Ken, the Commander and Jennix, so leaving Kirana was not an option in my mind.” She added taking a long drink from her glass.

“What did you do?” Tali asked.

“I carried her the rest of the way to the ledge between us and the landing zone, there was a gap of soft ground and as far as we knew, that Maw was elsewhere until it moved and the ground between us and the landing zone moved with it.” She stopped again, taking another drink. “I swear that thing just knew where we were going.” 

“Goddess,” Liara shuddered, “What a nightmare.”

“You were trapped.” Wrex stated.

“I could have carried Jade with me across it.” Shepard said, “And that was the plan, run like hell and get to the landing zone, out of the Maw’s reach. Jade had other ideas though.” She admitted, “We got half way when the Maw came up and grabbed us, Jade gabbed me in her Biotics and threw me to the landing zone while using the last rocket to take down the Maw, since she was in its mouth, the blast did more damage to her than her Biotics could stop and throwing me hadn’t helped.” she said refilling her glass.

“She saved you,” Ashley stated. “But why hadn’t the Maws been found before the colony was built?” she asked.

“Because the bastard Intel boy thought he knew better than to ask for help from a Turian.” Shepard growled. “Stevens got what he deserved when I was able to walk again and believe me he was lucky I left Fang with Moore. Or he wouldn’t have lived beyond that day.” She said.

“Should we be hearing this?” Alenko asked.

“He cost a colony of innocent people and forty-nine Alliance men and women’s deaths because he thought a Turian would tell him he wasn’t doing his job right.” Shepard said. “The Turians knew about the Maws and it was only because of the challenge they were close enough to pick me up out of that hell. It was a Turian ship that brought me back to the Citadel, it was a Turian ship and crew that went back to Akuze and cleared out the Maws and it was a Turian crew that helped redesign and build the colony.”

“That does explain why Akuze is Human/Turian colony.” Liara said.

“I wasn’t sure about coming back to the Alliance after Akuze. Losing so many and having then found out it could have been avoided didn’t help my already major trust issues.” Shepard admitted, emptying her glass again. “I think I scared every Intelligence officer to death when word got out about Stevens, but then slowly things started to get a little bit better, the trust slowly came back, the fears were laid to rest and the nightmares slowly got less, still have them now and then, but not as much as I use to.”

~“Drinking on deck Commander?”~ An annoyed Udina asked over the comms.

“It’s water asshole.” Shepard said showing him the bottle she’d refilled her glass with and the label. “Strawberry flavoured.” She added. “I don’t need Moonshine to talk about what happened anymore.”

~“So you have had Moonshine brought aboard your ship.”~ The man accursed.

“My ship, my drinks.” Shepard smiled. “Now shoo, I have shit to do and you are annoying me.” She said tapping the console to end the call. “I love being able to do that.” She chuckled.

“You’re not drunk?” Ashley asked in some amazement.

“Nope, I only drink Moonshine when I need it, the rest of the time flavoured water, usually strawberry, or a glass of icy cola.” Shepard smiled.

Chakwas smiled, “You can pick your jaw up off the floor any time now.” She said gently patting Ashely’s shoulder lightly. “Come along Joker, your past due check-up.” She added as Joker very carefully came down from his seat and followed her to the medical bay.

~~~@~~~

“So doc, how do they look?” 

“Nothing new or changed, Joker.” She said, carefully and gently moving his knees joints and feet, making sure that they moved without stiffness. “And you say you have been taking it easy when you get up from the chair?”

“Yes ma’am, no rushing and no attempts to run, crutches when walking just like you told me.” Joker assured with a wink. “So, can I have a lollipop now?” 

“What is a lollipop?” Liara asked as she came out of the back room where she had been working.

“It’s a type of sweet treat we humans have, often it is a common treat that doctors have with them to help young children with their fears, and as a reward for sitting in what they sometimes find to be a scary place.” 

“How does it work?” Liara asked.

“It’s more of a coax than anything really working, Liara,” Joker said. “Most little kids are scared of going to the see the doctor because doctors help people heal and also care for the sick, children sometimes misunderstand that going to see the doctor isn’t always because there is something wrong and that idea can often scare a child when they think of the doctor, to help them cope, doctors often carry lollipops or even small chocolate bars and other sweets and before they start to check on the child’s healthy they will say something assuring like ‘if you are brave, you can have a treat at the end.’.” He explained. 

“Of cause, not all children believe it,” Shepard said as she came in, rubbing the back of her shoulder. “Some children are so scared of doctors that they refuse to set foot in the doctors’ office.” 

“So… they offer a lollipop?” Liara asked.

Shepard chuckled. “Sometimes not even that is enough to get a frightened child into the office,” She said, “But Joker is right, after every visit the child would usually leave the doctor with a lollipop as a reward.” She smiled.

“I don’t get it.” Liara admitted.

“You will at some point,” Chakwas smiled and gently shooed Joker out of the medical bay. “Something I can do for you Shepard?” she asked.

“Shoulder’s acting up again.” She explained still rubbing the back of her shoulders. “I think I pulled it out of joint slightly.” 

“Let me see,” Chakwas said as Shepard sat on the bed, wincing as she removed her top and rolled up her vest top as Chakwas carefully inspected her shoulder. “You’ve jolted it, but it is still in the socket,” She assured and carefully applied some kind of ointment to her shoulder. “That should do it.”

“Thanks Doc.” Shepard smiled then carefully closed Liara’s mouth for her. “Never seen scars before?” She asked. 

“Are those from Akuze?” Liara asked, looking at the deep and jagged marks that covered Shepard’s arms, shoulder and part of her front. “Goddess.”

Shepard nodded. “I don’t know how I was still moving for so long but I guess Adrenalin, Stims and Medi-gel just about held me together while we were running from the Maws.” She said, “thanks to a very quick thinking Turian and Chakwas I woke up again.” 

“And then wheeled yourself into the comms from and shouted at the Sol Board in front of the Council, the Primarch AND were heard over the loud comm.” Chakwas reminded.

“I was angry.” Shepard defended and then smiled. “Besides, it made them think twice about trying to cover the event up.” 

“Indeed.” Chakwas smiled. “Now, off with you, I have work to do.” She said lightly ushering the commander out of her office. 

“Is she, is she always so…?” Liara asked trying to find the word.

“So open?” Chakwas supplied with a soft smile, shaking her head. “She hasn’t spoken of Akuze so openly in almost nine years, the fact she has started to open up about it to others is good, at least from a medical view.” She admitted.

“Why?” Liara asked.

“Because I saw the fear and mistrust Akuze left her with,” Chakwas explained with a grim face, “Shepard had formed a close bond with the people she lost on Akuze and while some may think it foolish of her to be so effected by their deaths, for Shepard it was almost too much. She had come to the Alliance with nothing but the cloths on her back and the survival skills her time in the Streets to fall back on. Slowly she made friends and found a place she felt safe and comfortable. But after Akuze, she lost a lot of those friends and the safety and comfort also went away, she withdrew from everyone, even from Admiral Moore.”

“Who?”

“Admiral Moore was Shepard’s mentor and one of her first friends, he taught her how to open up while she lived with him as a Cadet, when news of what happened reach him, he fought to have Shepard given the best care and to have Akuze searched and all Maws removed.” Chakwas explained. “But it was too little too late for Shepard, she refused to speak with the Alliance Board for almost six years, blaming them and the Intelligence sector for the deaths of her friends.”

“Goddess…” Liara said.

“Shepard may seem at ease and open with people like Ashely and the other humans on the crew, but there are only a few of us who have her full trust.” Chakwas admitted. “She is more likely to open up to someone like you, or Garrus, or even Tali and Wrex.”

“Why us?” Liara asked in some shock.

“Because you aren’t going to try and find out information she isn’t willing to give.” Chakwas smiled. “Shepard has always found it easier to open up around none humans and she seems to have found something in all of you that she thought she’d lost on Akuze.” She added.

Liara looked towards the med bay doors before going back to the room she was using to do her research, thinking carefully on what she had just been told as the realization sank in. The Commander trusted her enough to show her the scars of her past and talk openly about the horror and pains she had faced. Not just her, but others, like Garrus and Tali, even Wrex and likely the Spectre Nihlus… 

She smiled a little at the thought she was most trusted by the human commander than those of her own kind, despite the fact her own mother was working with someone she was hunting.

It was nice to know someone trusted her so openly.


	3. Break Down.

Chapter 3  
Break Down.

Nihlus watched Shepard pull herself up on the bar in the training room, trying to ignore the scars he could see while he continued his usually training. A few seats across from him, Garrus was busy with the weights and Wrex was beating the life out of a hanging punching bag. 

“How long have you been doing that?” Wrex suddenly asked as Garrus sat up and used a nearby towel to dry his face of the heavy sweat.

“About three hours…” He answered. “Why?”

“Because you started before I even got here and that was four hours ago.” Wrex stated.

Shepard glanced back. “Something bothering you Wrex?”

“The kid’s just over working himself.” Wrex stated then groaned as the bag split under his knuckles and slipping its contents of sand over the floor. “Opps.” 

“Says the Krogan who just ruined the fourth large punching bag in three weeks.” Shepard chuckled. “I was worse in basic.” She admitted.

“Worse commander?” Garrus asked.

“Seventy pounds on both arms and ninety pounds on my legs, pull ups, push ups, twenty laps every morning and ten every night, twenty five crunches, ninety sit up and then fifty five minutes with weighs.” She listened off.

“Wow.” Was all Garrus said. 

“Why?” Nihlus asked.

“Just to prove I could do it,” Shepard said. “I wanted to prove that I wasn’t weak, that I could do everything the Commanders could do and that it didn’t take money or good education to be strong or able to do the hard graft to make it as a Solider.”

“Why would someone doubt you?” Garrus asked. “I’ve read about the N-7s and the training they go through, it’s not the kind of thing just anyone signs up for.”

“Because I am a woman.” Shepard said. “The idea that women can fight on the front lines alongside men still scares many of the high ups who have this insane idea that woman shouldn’t be able to go up into space where is it ‘dangerous and unpredictable’ and thus, a woman, shouldn’t go up to the stars to be witness to such ‘horrid things’.” She explained. “Granted now a days if anyone tried to say that to a woman she could out right deck him.” 

“Do they still think that?” Wrex asked.

“Not so many, but there is the odd man now and then who wants to live with a wife who does everything for him in the house so he can go out the work.” Shepard said.

“What happens to those men?” Nihlus asked.

“Usually they get found out to be little more than rich men who want bed toys and have been unfaithful to their wife and thus the court throws them in jail and all his wealth gets divided between charities and his wife.” Shepard explained. “It’s been that way since around 2020 – 2021 I think.” She added finally falling from the bar and stretching her arms and shoulders.

“What makes human men think they have to protect their females so much?” Garrus asked, “From what I have seen from you, Ashley and the female Marines, Human females are quite capable of taking care of themselves.” He added.

“And we are, but men have this idea that a woman is too delicate and fragile to survive the pains and dangers of what they call the real world.” She chuckled, “Most men forget that woman suffer more pain than any male can ever suffer when she gives birth and she is the one who has to go through emotional changes when she is carrying the baby. And that’s just when she is young.” She stated with a smile. “You’d have to ask Chakwas for the whole details about the female side of things.” She added. “Now if you will excuse me gentlemen, I’m going to bed.”

“Good night Commander.” Garrus bid, not seeing the smirk on Nihlus’s face.

~~~@~~~

Shepard was reading through the reports she had in the comms room when Joker spoke up. “Message coming in, patching it through.” He said.

~“Commander Shepard, I trust you are well?”~ Hackett asked over the comms.

“Yes Admiral.” Shepard said calmly. “What can I do for you?”

~“I’ve received some very troubling information,”~ Hackett explained grimly. ~“Someone is killing former Alliance Scientists. Four deaths in the past month that we have confirmed and we found there is a connection between them and you.”~ He said. 

“Sir?” Shepard asked looking at the comms, “I have no ties with the science division.” 

~“These scientists all worked on a classified Project several years ago. On Akuze.”~ He stated.

Shepard’s shoulders tensed and for a moment, her eyes widened with something she had tried to bury. “Are you telling me that our own Scientists had something to do with what happened there?” She asked her fists clenching tightly. 

~“I looked into their files, each of the Scientists was removed from Alliance ranks after being found to have tied with Cerberus not long before Akuze became available as a Colony world Shepard, if this was more than a accident caused by the negligence of Stevens. We need to know…”~ Hackett explained. ~“There was one other Scientist on the Project; one Doctor Wayne. I’m sending you his last known coordinates. What you do with this is up to you, Shepard, but I thought you’d want to know.”~ He said before the comm cut off.

Akuze and the killing that happened there still haunted her, even with the talks she’d started to have about it with Liara, Garrus, Nihlus and even Wrex were helping her cope and find some peace at night.

But this… this meat that someone out there was getting away with the murders of Akuze… someone was living with the smug idea that they had escaped punishment.

“Commander?” Tali asked and Shepard blinked looking around and then realized there was pain in her hands, looking down she found that she’d clenched her fists so tightly that the palms were bleeding.

“Sorry,” She said quickly relaxing her hands and wincing. “Chakwas in med?” She asked.

“Yes she is. A-Are you alright?” Tali asked. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing… I just… heard some very unsettling news.” Shepard said as she headed to medical bay.

Once there, Chakwas was waiting with Nihlus, carefully looking at his neck as Shepard had come in, but with one look, the good doctor seemed to realize something had happened and stepped away from Nihlus. 

“Marie?” She asked and as if someone had turned on a tap, Shepard told her everything that had been said to her.

“He asked you to look into that?” Nihlus asked as Chakwas gently wrapped Shepard’s hands in bandages. “Shepard. Are you really going to do this?” he asked.

“I can’t just ignore it,” Shepard said. “If they did have something with that day, with the deaths of my crewmates - my friends! I have to know.” She added looking at the floor, “I have to know for them.”

“Shepard…” Chakwas sighed and put her hands on the younger woman’s shoulders. “Marie, you only just started to get over the whole mess. You don’t have to go chasing ghosts.” The older woman said. “I saw what losing them did to you, I know what will happen if this hurts you again, but this crew doesn’t. You may have told them what you are willing to say and Nihlus might have read the report but he wasn’t there to see you at the end of it. None of them are ready to see you like that.”

“I know.” Shepard said looking up. “But if there is someone who can be brought to justice for those who died on Akuze, someone I can take to trail and show the families their loved ones’ have some peace in their rest. I can’t just ignore that!”

Nihlus watched as Chakwas pulled Shepard into a tight hug, realizing that the muffled hissing he could hear coming from Shepard were sobs that she was trying to hide and quietly he left the room. 

Chakwas held Shepard as the younger woman cried. It had been almost ten years since the nightmare came to an end, ten years since she had watched Shepard’s body slowly heal even as the Commander pushed herself to get better, the mental struggle to accept that for some unknown reason she had lived where others around her had died, others who had families and loved ones to come home too where she had nothing.

It had been foolishness to think that she would just heal from those losses and move on in the few months that she had appeared to improve after getting out of the hospital, but Shepard hadn’t let anyone know the true details of what had happened. 

That had led to Shepard’s heavy abuse of drink, drowning herself in the liquid heaven she’d found until she could sleep without dreams, many nights while Shepard lived in her small apartment, Karin had been called by Moore and even Anderson to for warn her that Shepard was drunk and would need to be visited in the morning.

After the Alliance brought in the Therapists to try and give her a full check-up, Shepard had started to push everything into the back of her mind, closing it behind a door and locking it away so no one could use it to hurt her. A habit she hadn’t been able to break since leaving the streets.

“Shhhh, shhhh…” the doctor hissed softly, gently rubbing her hand over Shepard’s back, preparing a stern glare to silence whoever was coming in the room, but by the time the medical bay doors were open, Shepard was stood straight and the tears were gone, the mask firmly back in place. “Feel better, Commander?” she asked.

“Yes. Thank you Doctor Chakwas.” Shepard said, looking towards the doors. “I’ll leave you to tend Alenko and Williams.” She added as she left the room.

Chakwas watched her go and had to force herself to remain calm.

She would have to have a stern word with Admiral Hackett for this.

~~~@~~~ 

Nihlus found her in her room, tightly clutching the data pad she had brought on to the ship with her and the tag chain while the blanket of her bed as pulled over her.

“Would you like to talk about it?” He asked after a while and Shepard gave an odd noise, as if she wanted to say yes, but was unsure how to word what she wanted to say.

“Am I being selfish…?” She asked eventually. “For wanting answers?” she added.

“Not at all,” he assured. “Everyone has the right to want something, Shepard and we all have a right to ask questions.” He added.

“Then why do I feel like I’m doing this to hurt someone who hurt me…?” She asked, watching another image fade into focus on the data pad. “Why does it feel like I’m only doing this to try and make the guilt go away?” she asked as the image froze for a moment and Nihlus guessed that the woman in the image was a comms officer by her uniform, the small bow around her neck confirmed she was in fact Officer Ken.

“Wanting the guilt to go away doesn’t make you selfish.” Nihlus said. “It means you still have a heart.”

“And if it is just chasing old ghosts?” She asked. “I can’t go through with this if it isn’t going to give me answers, I can’t reopen the wounds if they won’t heal again.” 

“You won’t be healing alone this time,” Nihlus pointed out, “I have watched you grow close to this crew, to Garrus, Wrex, Tali and Liara, they all see you as someone they can trust and if you let them, they will help you heal from this if it turns out to be a ghost hunt.” 

“And you?” Shepard asked.

“If you’ll let me.” Nihlus nodded. “But really, I think you’d be better with them, I’d likely spend a few hours shouting at Hackett for asking you to do this if it turns out to be ghost hunting.” He added with a wide smirk.

It had the desired effect and Shepard gave a weak smile as she looked back at the data pad, the image was a group shot, taken when Shepard was younger and likely just before she set out on the Everfree, she was stood with her helmet under one arm attempting to keep a straight face while Jade and Jennix posed to her left, Jade holding up a victory sign with her fingers and Jennix saluting. To her right, Officer Ken was waving at the camera and Commander Greens was sat in front of them, smiling proudly as the silver N-7 mark showed on his armour plates.

There were other officers and marines in the photo, but they were unknown to Nihlus.

“Whatever you chose to do, we will follow you.” Nihlus said before leaving quietly.

~~~@~~~

“You asked Shepard to look into this?!” Anderson all but roared making Pallin look up at he heard the former captain shouting while he spoke to the Councillors about upping security in the wards.

Anderson rarely shouted at anyone, so to hear him shouting through the walls and floor of the building meant he was not only shouting, but he was also enraged.

~“Think he’ll shoot Udina?”~ Pallin looked back to the Councillors in slight shock as the Sparatus and Tevos gave Valern an amused look. ~“What?”~

“Shall I comm back later?” Pallin asked hearing the human Captain cursing a storm a few doors away.

~“Perhaps that would be best, Executer.”~ Sparatus said. ~“We will be waiting.”~

“Executer Pallin?” A small voice called form the door and he looked over to see a young currier at the door.

“Yes?” he answered and pretended not to notice the relief the girl’s face held when he answered.

“I have a package for you, sir.” She said, opening he bag and carefully pulling out a small box like package and a data pad. “Signature please.”

Pallin nodded and carefully placed the package on his desk before signing the data pad. “Thank you.” 

“Good day sir.” The Currier bid as she hurried off.

He carefully opened the package and took out a small folded note.

‘Executer Pallin,   
Enjoy the Turian equivalent to Moonshine, brewed on Palaven.  
Commander M.J. Shepard.  
Oh and don’t worry about Vakarian, I’ll keep him safe for you.’

Pallin chuckled lightly and carefully uncovered the Turian bottle of ‘Spirit Shard’, wondering how Shepard had managed to afford such a drink.

~~~@~~~

“I’m sorry Hackett,” Shepard said, “But until further notice, I am not going to look for Doctor Wayne.”

~“Understood Commander. If you change your mind, I will gladly turn the investigation over to you.”~ He said.

Shepard nodded and once the image had faded away she rubbed her face with her hands. “Joker, head for Noveria.” 

~“Aye, Aye Commander.”~

Nihlus watched Shepard lead the bridge and glanced towards Chakwas as the older woman lightly petted Shepard’s shoulder as they passed. 

It seemed Shepard wasn’t quite ready to go back and face the old ghosts of Akuze just yet.

~~~@~~~

~“The Normandy has been sited.”~ She told him. ~“They are heading this way.”~ She added.

“Then I expect you to finish their interference.” He stated. “I will not tolerate this human getting in the way of the plan any further.” He added.

~“I understand.”~

He remained silent as the comm line cut off. Even if the Matriach failed, he had others who could rid him of this growing annoyance, with the number of Geth she was taking out and the good Doctor T’Soni’s knowledge of Prothean technology, likely Shepard was already close to figuring out his goal and he had to be rid of her or risk losing everything he was working for.

And that was something he couldn’t risk.

~~~@~~~

“Approach control this is the SSV Normandy. Requesting a vector and a Berth.” Joker stated as they reached Noveria’s air space.

~“Normandy your arrival is not scheduled.”~ The control room reported back. ~“Our defence grid in arms and tracking you, state your business.”~

“Citadel business.” Joker stated. “We have two Council Spectres aboard.”

There was a long pause before a reluctant controller spoke up. ~“Landing Access Granted, Normandy.”~ He said. ~“Be advised; we will be confirming identification of the Spectres on arrival. If confirmation cannot be established, your vessel will be impounded.”~ He then added as the ship was locked into dock. 

“What a fun bunch. I think I’ll take my next leave here.” Joker said with a smile as Shepard and Nihlus left the commander bridge.

“Take someone with you at least Nihlus, please.” Shepard said as they grabbed their gear. 

“That an order Commander?” he asked.

“It’s a request.” Shepard said. “I’d like to have you back in one peace without having to shout at you again.” She added loading several ammo clips into her panels and weapons.

“Alright, who would can you spare?” Nihlus asked.

“Take Garrus, I’m taking Tali and Liara with me.” She said, “If we need to meet up and change at any point we will.” She added.

“Very well, Commander.” Nihlus nodded. “I’ll go in first and radio you anything I find that may be odd or out of place.” He added.

Shepard nodded. “Be careful and bring Garrus back without injury please, I promised Pallin I’d look after him.” She added.

Nihlus smiled. “I’ll look after him.” He assured as he left, pulling Garrus from the Mako as he went. “Come on Vakarian.”

Shepard smiled as they left then turned to Liara and Tali as they finished loading up their weapons leading them out and chuckling as she watched Wrex carefully tighten the armour for Tali from behind and then checked Liara’s was secure for her.

“If anyone not a part of this crew tries to come aboard this ship without Nihlus or my permission, throw ‘em off.” She said to Wrex.

“With pleasure.” The Krogan smiled as they left the ship.

“Do you ever think encouraging him is a bad idea?” Liara asked.

“Nah, he’s not gonna hurt anyone unless he has too,” Shepard smiled. “And this is Wrex we are talking about, he enjoys brawls.” She added.

“True, and he is good at throwing things around.” Tali said and the three shared a laugh as they reached the end of the walk way and turned to find a trio of what Shepard guessed were guards. “Welcoming committee?” Tali asked.

“Likely,” Shepard said as they approached.

“That’s far enough.” The apparent leader stated, short black hair and an accent Shepard recognized from earth but couldn’t quite remember the area it came from. Somewhere to the east. “This is an unscheduled arrival. I need your credentials.” The woman added.

“You first.” Shepard said, keeping her tone steady, though her focus was on the two armed guards with the woman, one Turian and another human, blond hair and the tense stance of an unhappy lady.

It was that woman who answered first, “We are the law here, show some respect.” She snapped out.

Shepard smirked. “Respect is earned and right now, I have none for you.” She said. “Now shut up and let the big girls talk.” She stated looking back to the first woman.

“Captain Maeko Matsuo, Elanus Risk Control Services.” the Captain introduced.

“Commander Shepard of the Normandy, Council Spectre.” Shepard stated. 

“No humans made it as Spectres. She’s a liar.” The blond woman stated.

“We will need to confirm that.” Maeko stated, sounding unsure. “Also I must advice you that fire arms are not permitted on Noveria.” She added. “Sargent Stirling, Secure their weapons.”

“Try it.” Shepard said aiming her pistol at Matsuo. “No one takes my weapons from me when I have a job to do.” She stated.

~“Captain Matsuo! Stand down.”~ A voice stated over the comms. ~“We have confirmed their identity. Spectres are authorized to carry weapons here, Captain.”~

“Told you.” Shepard smirked at Stirling before carefully setting her weapon back on her hip.

“Behave yourself, Spectre,” Stirling snarled.

“Parasini-san will answer any questions you have.” Maeko said.

“Thank you.” Shepard said leading her team into the building.

“If that is there law enforcement I’d hate to see their real welcoming committee.” Tali sniffed, “Very rude.”

“The law lady’s just being bitchy because she didn’t get to feel my ass.” Shepard said loud enough for Stirling to hear her. “That and she couldn’t take my weapons and trade them for her own.” She added.

“She’d do that?” Liara asked.

“Judging by the glare she’s been giving me since we got here, yes.” Shepard said then winced as a loud alarm rang out. “What the fuck?!”

“Weapon detectors.” A woman in a red dress stated. “Please, don’t mind the alarms.” She added as the alarm cut off. “I am Gianna Parasini, assistant to Administrator Anoleis.” She introduced herself, “We apologize for the incident in the docking bay.” She added.

“Teach that Sargent some manners, the next person who comes through might not be so kind as to leave her alive.” Shepard stated.

“We don’t often get visitors,” Parasini said, “Is there any way I can help you?” she added.

“I need to know if anyone unusual has come through here recently.” Shepard said.

“Unusual? Hmmm,” the other woman asked thinking carefully before nodded. “Well, there was an Asari Matriarch who passed through a few days ago. Lady Benezia I believe.” 

“Benezia?” Liara asked in shock. “She’s here?”

“May I speak with her?” Shepard asked.

“She left for the Peak 15 research complex when she arrived. To the best of my knowledge, she’s still there.” Parasini said with a kind smile, “But you’ll need to ask Administrator Anoleis for clearance to leave the port. Left at the top of the elevator.” She explained.

“Very well.” Shepard said heading the elevator. “Thank you.”

“She is here, I can’t believe it.” Liara muttered as they stepped into the small box. “I imagine you want to talk to me Shepard. About my mother.” She said.

Shepard shook her head and put a hand on Liara’s shoulder. “No, I don’t.” She assured, “I trust you Liara, you may not be military but you are a part of my crew.” She added.

Liara’s face filled with relief before she nodded, smiling. “Thank you Shepard, That means a great deal to me.” She said.

“This place feels strange…” Tali said.

“It makes me feel uneasy, Too many dark secrets.” Liara said as they stepped out of the list and walked right into Garrus and Nihlus.

“Don’t bother Shepard.” Nihlus said, “He’s being obstructive.” He added.

“Ideas?” Shepard asked as they followed Nihlus.

“Leave me and Garrus to get the passes, that way you three can focus on finding out why Benezia would be here and why she has Asari Commandos with her.” He said. “And try to avoid anyone connected to Anoleis, the bastard’s corrupt.” He added.

“Got it, be careful.” Shepard said. “And don’t get shot this time.”

“I’ll try.” Nihlus said. “Meet you in the Hotel Bar.” 

“Not if we bump into each other sooner.” She smiled, catching sight of the Sargent she made she the other blond saw her and Nihlus talking and inwardly enjoyed the glare she got in response.

“We are trying to play nice, right?” Garrus asked Nihlus seeing what was going on.

“Stirling is trying to catch Shepard doing something she shouldn’t, as long as she does that, she isn’t watching us.” Nihlus said, “Come.”

“Watch yourself Garrus, I’ve seen a few Turians watching your ass.” Shepard warned as the two went off, leaving her with Tali and Liara again. “Hotel better have good drinks.” She said.

~~~@~~~

They’d been sat at a table for a few minutes before a round of drinks appeared for them, a gesture of welcome from a Turian a few tables away. “He says he wanted to be polite, since he knows Stirling was rude to you.” The waiter said.

“How kind.” Tali said, though she looked to Shepard for assurance.

“This guy have a name?” She asked.

“Lorik Qui’in.” The young man stated. “He’s been using this bar as a temporary office since his own was closed down for some reason.” He added before leaving to tend other tables.

“Something for something,” Shepard said quietly, “You two wait here, I’m going to see what this guy wants.” She added getting up and heading to the able where the named Turian was sat sipping his drink. “Lorik Qui’in?” She asked.

“Indeed. And you are the spectre that just arrived with Nihlus,” the Turian said, “What could an old Turian like me possibly do to help you?” he asked.

“A round of drinks doesn’t come free from someone.” She said.

“Ah,” Qui’in chuckled. “Nihlus mentioned you weren’t as welcoming to gifts without asking about the catch.” He said, “He also said you were in need of a pass to get into the garage.”

“I’m listening.” Shepard said.

“Mr. Anoleis has closed my office to allow his goons to ransack it for the information I have on my personal computer, unfortunately for them, I have it encoded and I have the key in a very safe place at all times,” He explained, “Get me that information and in exchange, you can have my pass.” He added.

“Sounds simple enough.” She said, “What’s the real issue?”

Qui’in chuckled. “He is paying Ms. Matsuo’s people under the table to work for him, she is unaware of their outside employment.” He said. “I hope you understand what that means.” He added moving his eyes past her left side for a second. “After all, we Turians don’t do well in cold without good under suits to keep us warm.”

“I was aware of that,” She said without missing a beat as the Sargent walked past her and sat at the table between them and the table Liara and Tali were at. “I thought it a little odd that a Turian would be on a frozen world, how are you keeping warm here?”

“I am not Palaven born, my hide is thicker than others.” He smiled. “But other ways to stay warm include a under suit, or even heated internal panels on their armour that activate when the outer temperature reached below preferred Turian temperatures.” He said.

“I shall have to invest in a pair for the Turians on my crew…” Shepard said, “Anywhere around I can start searching?” She asked.

“Maybe if you speak with the Manager of the Garage, he could offer you the latest, tell him I sent you and he will give you the contact information you need to place an order. He is a useful Turians and a pleasant conversation partner, when he isn’t buried under these Mako vehicals.” Qui’in chuckled. “I know he would be delighted to meet someone who he can help.” He assured.

“Does this manager of the Garage have a name?” she asked.

“Lilihierax.” Qui’in said. “Most just call him Li.”

“Lilihierax?” She repeated. “Easy enough.” She said then waved to Liara and Tali. “Thanks for the advice, Qui’in, but in future if we see each other again, I prefer Moonshine.”

“I will remember that, Good day Spectre.” Qui’in smiled with a polite nod as she left with Liara and Tali heading for the lift.

“She’s following us.” Liara said softly.

“Three, two, one.” Shepard counted down and then chuckled as the table next to Qui’in was shot to hell and people began to run for cover as they headed into the stairs, “Thank you Nihlus.”

~“Told you we’d be careful.”~ Nihlus chuckled back. ~“We’ll meet with you at the Garage after you’ve helped Qui’in. And give Lilihierax my thanks for the info on the under suits.”~

“Will do.” she promised.

~~~@~~~

They found Lilihierax loitering around near the lower end of corridor from Qui’in’s office, he smiled as they approached and offered Shepard his hand. “Shepard, right?”

“That’s me.” She smiled back taking his hand in a firm shake, feeling something press into her palm and nodded. “I heard from Qui’in you have a hand in info to order thermal under suits for Turians.” She said, carefully brushing her hair back behind her ear and adjusted her Omni-tool slightly. Sending the needed information to Nihlus.

“Sure I do. I have to keep reordering myself one since the vehicals we work on here can sometimes leak mild corrosive to deal with the ice and snow outside, it’s good for the driving, but not so good on the suits.” He admitted. “Wait here a moment, I’ll get you the details.” He added heading off.

Shepard smiled and when he returned he had two data pads, “One for Turians and one for Quarians and Asari.” He explained with a kind smile.

“Thank you Lilihierax.” She said and the Turian seemed shocked he could say his full name. “If I have any trouble I’ll come back.”

“Sure you need anything, you come find me.” He assured as they left the area and he headed back into the Garage as the sound of guns shots went off above them.

As they passed through the Hotel, Shepard felt something press into her hand as Qui’in went passed her to the bar to get another drink. She smiled and tucked the card into her side panel as they met up with Nihlus and Garrus.

They were stopped by a young girl, not much older than a teenager who sounded more than a little scared of them as they approached but, just like a good officer, she stood straight and spoke in a tone that almost hid her uncertainty. “Assess to the garage is restricted.”

“We have passes,” Nihlus assured politely handing the young woman his pass to inspect and Shepard held out her own.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” The girl said, “Drive safely. The weather is pretty bad out in the Aleutsk Valley.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Shepard smiled as they went in.

“Think it will get easier now?” Tali asked.

“Snow, icy winds, an Asari Matriach and her Commandos, possible Geth and lord knows what else is out there.” Shepard said. “I doubt the term Easy applies to any place on this icy ball of a world.”

“A girl can dream?” Tali shrugged as they climbed into the Mako and strapped in tightly.

~~~@~~~

“Do you ever get the feeling Shepard hates us?” Kaidan asked.

“I get the feeling she hates people who try to treat her like she’s a tool.” Ashley nodded. “Not so much that she hates us.”

“But she’s always snapping at me, even when I’m just trying to help.”

“You don’t do yourself any favours by trying to talk for her or make yourself interesting to her.” Ashley pointed out and Kaidan blinked. “You’ve been staring at her every chance you get, you’re always trying to do things for her she doesn’t want and she doesn’t about your history because she’s not interested. Anyone can see that.”

“But why spend so much time around Aliens?” 

“Because they aren’t trying to get into her pants.” Ashley said. “I’ve been listening, all they talk about is Protheans, home worlds, cultures, guns, ships, now and then they talk about hobbies and what they’d do if they ever have enough credits.”

“You ever join in?” he asked.

“Nope. I’ve got my own stuff to do.” She admitted. “Why do you ask?”

“Just wanted to know why it seemed like she hated Humans.” He sighed.

~~~@~~~

“So, we got Binary Helix doing the dirty with some old Egg they found that just happened to be a Queen Rachni, Mad Rachni running around AND Asari commandos and Geth along with some unknown fucking Toxin that was killing people.” Shepard growled ducking under cover as shots whizzed overhead. “Fucking lovely!”

“At least we’re not fighting the Queen herself!” Liara yelled from her cover with Tali. “That would be less hiding and more running!” She added.

“Just shoot the bitch with the Geth so we can go!” Garrus yelled as he and Nihlus struggled to hold the Geth off while Tali formed the cure. Shepard and Liara fighting with the Asari Commando. “I hate these bastards!”

There was a sickening snap and then a single loud shot behind them and Nihlus spun in time to see the commando fall in a dead heap, her head facing the wrong way while Shepard clutched her left arm.

“She got lucky,” Shepard hissed as Liara handed her the Medi-gel. “Thanks.” She added.

“What now?” Garrus asked. “No way we can just go in guns blazing.” He added.

“Nihlus and you are going to get the survivors back to the main station, then get to the hot labs and deal with the Rachni in there.” Shepard said, “Tali, Liara and I are going after Benezia.”

“Understood.” Nihlus said watching them head off before turning back and heading towards the mess hall.

Shepard reloaded her weapons and after a few deep breaths to help her focus as she pushed off the wall. “You ok Liara?” She asked seeing the young Asari glance away from the dead commando.

“How can my mother do this?” Liara asked. “This isn’t like her, she’s not the Asari I knew as a child.”

“I don’t know, Liara,” Shepard said putting a hand on her shoulder. “But by the end of this, maybe we will have an answer.” She tried to assure.

“Thank you Shepard.” She said as they headed into the maintenance area, taking out a final Rachni before entering the lab where the Queen was being held.

“You do not know the privilege of being a mother. There is power in creation, to shape a life, turn it towards happiness or despair.” A deep voice stated and Shepard glanced up to a higher platform where the speaker was stood, dressed in complete black. “Her children where to be ours, raised to hunt and slay Saren’s enemies.”

“Sounds like a Slaver’s plot to me, is that all he trusts you for?” Shepard asked, noticing the Matriach seemed to behave as if she were reading from a script. “To baby sit?”

“I won’t be moved by your insults or sympathy. No matter who you bring into this confrontation.” Benezia stated glaring at Liara.

“She’s here because she wants to be,” Shepard stated, “Not because I asked her to be here.”

“Indeed?” Benezia asked turning her glare to Shepard, then almost casually asked. “What have you told this human about me, Liara?”

“What could I say, Mother?” Liara asked, “That you are insane? Evil? Should I explain how to kill you?” She added, “Should I have told her you wouldn’t do this? Told her you were once kind? What could I say?”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Benezia said.

“She told me you haven’t spoken in years.” Shepard said. “Nothing more than that. She has only told me of the Asari in general, I know that she is the youngest stage of an Asari life and you the eldest and I know that you were once respected by many.”

Benezia smirked. “Have you faced an Asari Commando Unit before?” she asked. “Few Humans have.” She added.

“You’d kill your own child?” Shepard asked, a dangerous glint in her eyes as Tali saw something falling into her hand.

“I now realize I should have been stricter with her.” The older Asari said.

“And you dare to call yourself a mother.” Shepard said and dropped the thing in her hands as the doors opened and allowed Asari Commandos and Geth into the room. “How blindly stupid.” She stated.

“What?” Benezia asked then yowled in shock as blinding white light flooded the room. “You wretched Human!”

“Take them out!” Shepard ordered and Benezia heard gunshots around her as she tried to keep her Biotic shield up, protecting herself as she heard many steps and many falls as her own power began to weaken.

“You may be a Matriach,” Shepard spoke form behind her. “But you are still controlled by the limit of your biotic power. You can only hold your powers for a short time.”

“This is not over.” Benezia growled, forcing herself to stand. “Saren is unstoppable. My mind is filled with his light. Everything is clear.”

“The Rachni didn’t cooperate with you, why should I?” Shepard asked, “You think just because you are a Matriach you have the right to abuse the authority your people gave you? You are not worthy of the honours they gave you.”

“I will not betray him.” Benezia stated, “you will… You…” She began, bringing her hand to her head suddenly and wincing, stumping slightly and using the table behind her to stay standing. “L… Liara? My little wing…”

“Mother?” Liara asked and Shepard lowered her weapon as Benezia looked at her daughter and then to Shepard, pain etched on her face and in her eyes.

“Y-You must listen.” Benezia hissed, her tone suddenly changed and free flowing with so much concern that for the first time since meeting her, Shepard saw a mother and not an enemy. “Saren still whispers in my mind, I can fight him… B-but the indoctrination is strong.”

“Indoctrination?” Tali asked.

“A terror to be trapped in your own mind, to beat on the glass as your hands torture and murder. I was powerless; nothing but a tool to him.” Benezia trembled trying to find her words. “He-he sent me here to find the location of the- the Mu Relay. A relay that was lost thousands of years ago.”

“The Mu relay?” Liara asked then took a moment to think, “Yes, yes I remember the story you told me,” She said. “It was propelled out of its system when a star nearby went supernova. The relay was thought damaged.”

“Its precise Vector and speed are impossible to determine, as the years passed the nebula created by the nova enveloped the relay. It-it is difficult to find any cold object in interstellar space, particularly something swathed in hot dust and radiation.” The Matriach hissed and stumbled as she struggled to stand.

“And someone here on Noveria found it?” Shepard asked, catching Benezia before she could fall. 

“Two thousand years ago, the Rachni inhabited that region of our galaxy, they discovered the relay, they share memories across generations and Queens inherit the knowledge of their mothers.” Benezia explained panting. “I- I took the location of the relay from the Queens mind, I wasn’t gentle.”

“And why does Saren need this Relay?” Shepard asked.

“He believes it will lead him to the Conduit. I would tell you more if I could, but he didn’t share his counsel with me. I was a servant to his cause. I transcribed the data to an OSD.” Benezia explained, offering the OSD to Shepard. “Take it. Please.”

Shepard nodded and reached out taking the data. “What more can you tell me about the indoctrination? Maybe I can help you.”

“Feros! Go to Feros and- Uh! Find the Thorian! Get th- get the Cipher from- From Shiala-Argh! Ohhhh! Ohhh no!!”

“Mother?!” Liara panicked as Benezia shoved Shepard away, staggering back and clutched at her head. “Mother!”

“You have to stop me! His teeth are at my ear- Fingers on my spine! You must…”

“Fight him!” Liara pleaded. “Don’t leave!” she added only to have Tali hold her back before she could go too close. “Mother!?”

Benezia panted heavily and winced, gasping heavily. “Liara… my little wing…” She said. “You’ve always made me proud.”

“Mother!”

“She isn’t there anymore Liara.” Shepard said lifting her rifle again. “This isn’t the Benezia you knew.” She added.

“No…” Liara pleaded.

“Die!” Benezia snarled as another wave of Asari Commandos swarmed the room.

“I’m sorry Liara.” Shepard said yanking the younger Asari behind cover as the shots whizzed towards them. “Stay low!” She yelled standing and swinging around her pistol, shooting down the two commandos trying to get behind them while Tali took out the others, then Shepard turned to Benezia.

“You will die!” Benezia snarled. 

“Not before you.” Shepard said.

Liara covered her ears as the shots found their target, trying to hold back the tears as she heard her mother hit the floor, Shepard hadn’t aimed to kill, only disable.

“I cannot go on, you will have to stop him, Shepard!” The old Asari panted, trembling hands trying to stop the bleeding. “He is still in my mind, I am not myself and I never will be again,” She explained looking past Shepard to Liara, “Promise this old fool one thing?”

“You don’t have to ask.” Shepard said. “I’ll keep her safe.”

“Thank you,” Benezia said, wincing as her head fell back slightly. “Good night little wing, I will see you again, with the dawn.”

“Mother…” Liara sobbed and Shepard turned to catch the younger Asari as her knees gave out and she cried.

“No light? They always said there would be-” Benezia said before her body went limp. “Ah…”

Tali, respectfully stayed quiet as Liara sobbed and instead busied herself with informing Nihlus and Garrus they would be along in a while via a text message and also checked for anything that could be salvaged.

“She wasn’t herself… All this time she was under someone’s control. Oh Shepard.” Liara sobbed shaking as she clung to Shepard.

“Shhhh, shhhh. I know, Liara. We’ll see to it that she isn’t charged with crimes.” Shepard assured softly as she rubbed Liara’s back.

“How anyone could do this? How can you control someone…?” Liara gasped, clutching Shepard’s armour tightly. “How could anyone control a Matriarch’s mind?”

“There are many ways.” She sighed. “But at least we know she wasn’t acting as herself.” She added, gently pulling back and wiping Liara’s face. “Come now, stop crying.”

“Whoa!” Tali gasped suddenly and Shepard turned in time to see one of the commando’s standing slowly and the Rachni Queen pressing one of her limbs to the glass of her tank.

“What is happening!?” Liara asked.

“This one. Serves as our voice…” the Asari said though her voice had changed, more strained and echoed slightly. “We cannot sing. Not in these low spaces, your musics are… colourless.”

“Our music?” Shepard asked.

“Your way of communicating is strange. Flat. It does not colour the air. When we speak, one moves all.” Shepard blinked then looked passed the Commando to the Queen and approached her tank. “We are the mother, we sing for those left behind, the children you thought silenced.”

“How are you speaking through her?” Shepard questioned looking at the Asari commando. “is she in pain?”

“Our kind sing though touching of thoughts. We pluck the strings and the other understands.” The Queen tried to explain in a way she hoped would be understood. “She is weak to urging. She has colours we have no names for, but she is ending. Her music is bittersweet. It is beautiful. Painless.” She assured to the question of pain. “The Children we birthed were stolen from us before they could learn to sing. They are lost to silence. Please, end their suffering. They cannot be saved. They will only cause harm as they are.”

“I don’t understand.” Shepard said shaking her head. “Why are your children killing people? If you are their Queen don’t you have control?” She asked.

“These needle-men,” The Queen seemed to growl. “They stole our eggs form us. They sought to turn our children into beasts of war. Claws with no songs of their own, our elders were comfortable with silence. Children know only fear if no one sings to them. Fear has shattered their minds.”

“I understand.” Liara said, sniffling. “A child left along in a closest until she is sixteen would not be sane.”

“You are sure?” Shepard asked. “That there is nothing that can save them?”

“They are lost, do what you must.” The Queen said. “Now, what will you sing of us? Will you release us? Are we to fade away once more?”

“Those tanks above her are filled with acid. They would have killed her if she ever showed signs of escaping.” Tali said indicating to the tanks behind the Queen. “But, if she is the last of her kind.” She shook her head.

“It would be a mistake to kill her, they let the Krogan go too far in whipping them out, this is our change to atone, she has done nothing to us.” Liara said.

“Your companions hear the truth. You have the power to free us, or return our people to the silence of memory.” The Queen said.

“If I let you go, would you attack other races?” Shepard asked. “Those not here? Those who hurt you before?”

“No. We- I do not know what happened in the war. We only heard discordance. Songs the colour of oily shadows. We would seek a hidden place, to teach our children harmony. If they understand. Perhaps we would return.” The Queen said.

“Are you from the war? Or a clone?” Shepard asked.

“We do not know. We were only an egg, hearing Mother cry in our dreams. A tone from space, hushed one voice after another. It forced the singers to resonate with its own sour yellow note. Then we woke in this place. The last echo of those who came out from the Singing Planet. The sky is silent.”

“Something, made your people think like it did?” Shepard asked and the Queen within the tank nodded its head while waiting for her answer.

Shepard nodded after a long silence, thinking over her options and all she knew of the Rachni War, what they had apparently done to warrant the Council’s demand to kill them all and all that she had just been told by this young Queen. “I won’t kill your entire race.” She said.

“You will give us a chance to compose anew?” the Queen asked sounding amazed but also joyed. “We will remember, we will sing of your forgiveness to our children.” She said allowing the Commando to fall as she looked towards Shepard as she keyed in an override code and the tank holding her slowly lifted and opened.

She looked down at Shepard for a moment longer before climbing out and left.

“Let’s go.” She said tapping her comm. “Nihlus, we’re done here, we’ll meet you at the tram.”

~“Yes Ma’am.”~

~~~@~~~

“What is our next move Commander? Head to the Mu Relay?” Ashely asked as she and the rest of the crew sat in the comms room.

“No, that relay could lead to dozens of places, until we know more about where Saren is going we’d be flying blind.” Shepard said. “And I want to know more about this Indoctrination Benezia mentioned. Feros, Cipher and someone named Shiala.” She added.

“It sounded like some kind of mind control. The way she struggled, it couldn’t have been drug induced.” Liara stated.

“She’s right, even after she had been defeated she was saying that he was still in her mind.” Tali explained.

“Sounds like some kinda story to me.” Ashley snipped lightly.

“Don’t make me hit you Williams.” Shepard snipped back. “The Asari Matriarchs are the oldest and most powerful of their race, they don’t get taken for fools easily.” 

“Liara had to watch her own mother die down there.” Wrex added. “No child should have to witness that.”

“Look, this has been a hard mission.” Shepard said and nodded to Tali and Liara, “All of you go and get some rest, we’ll talk this out when everyone has slept, eaten and feels up to it. Crew Dismissed.”

~“Noveria report is away, Commander. You want me to patch you through to the council?”~ Joker asked over the comm.

Shepard sighed remembering she still had to give them a verbal report. “Yes, Joker, patch them through.”

~“Setting up the link now.”~

“Want me to stay?” Nihlus asked.

“Sure, they can shout at both of us.” Shepard chuckled. “Then I can shout at you for not warning me about the cold.” She added.

~“Is this report accurate Commander?”~ Tevos demanded. ~“You found Rachni on Noveria?”~

~“And then released the Queen? Do you have any idea what you have done?! How long until they take over the galaxy?”~ Sparatus growled.

“This Queen is different, she understands why her kind was wiped out last time. She has given her word she will not come back until she is understood by other races.” Shepard stated.

~“I hope you’re right Shepard.”~ Sparatus stated. ~“Our children’s children will pay the price if you’re not.”~

“There was something else.” Shepard said, “Something she said, something made the old Rachni turn violent, something different from them, it forced them to fight.”

~“Something forced them?”~ Valern asked. ~“How?”~

“She explained it as some kind of control, something that came from Space and altered the way the Rachni thought and behaved. Some kind of sound she said that made others copy it until it was the only sound to be heard.” Shepard explained, “Do any of your raced have any kind of similar things in your history? Any mention of such a thing around that time?”

~“We would remember such a thing, and have documented it.”~ Tevos stated, ~“I will have someone look into it while we await your next report Commander.”~ She added before the link was cut.

“Well, that went well.” Shepard said. “At least they didn’t all yell at me for saving the Queen.”

“There was something else found.” Nihlus said. “Garrus spotted it on a terminal as we passed it, thought it would interest you.” He added handing her a small data chip. “He did some hacking and detail checking to get the details on there for you.”

“Thanks.” Shepard said. “Remind me to get him a bottle of the good stuff.”

Nihlus nodded. “I shall leave you to your thoughts commander.” He said before he left the room.

Shepard watched him go and then head to her own room and sighed softly as she laid on her bed. Thinking carefully about what she had learned and what they could do now.

She winced and sat up, hissing softly as her eyes began to see things that weren’t there. “Shit.”

“Commander?” Someone called just before Shepard went limp.

~~~@~~~

“What happened?” Alenko asked as Garrus carried the Commander into the medical bay.

“I don’t know I found her in her room.” Garrus answered as Chakwas began to inspect Shepard, “What’s wrong with her?”

Chakwas carefully checked her over then growled. “God damn it!” She said, taking out a small needle, “She’s reacting to a sedative.” She explained, as she drew some kind of liquid into her needle.

“That Asari Commando!” Liara remembered as she sat on the bed across from Shepard, “in her left arm.” She added.

“Garrus,” Chakwas began only to have Garrus pull the cloth of Shepard’s shirt out of the way on her left arm and showed a bruised area on Shepard’s arm.

“What is that?” the Turian asked.

Chakwas quickly pulled gloves onto her hands and used an antiseptic wipe to clean the inner elbow of Shepard’s left arm, quickly injected the contents of the needle into Shepard as the commander began to come around.

“It’s Shepard’s natural reaction. She’s been injected with a sedative, not enough to kill but enough to make her sleep,” Chakwas explained to Garrus’s question and with his help carefully lifted Shepard so she was sat up as the Commander began to wake up, groaning heavily and looking very pale.

“Bucket.” She winced and Garrus lifted the nearby bucket up just in time for Shepard to snatch it and fill it with her stomach contents.

“All of it, Marie.” Chakwas said rubbing the Commander’s back as the younger woman trembled and shook, wrenching into the bucket for a further five minutes. “Good girl.”

“Urgh…” Shepard groaned, “What happened?”

“That Commando injected you with Sedative.” Chakwas said. “Looks like someone has read your file, they gave you enough to make you sleepy, but what with all the running around you were doing and the adrenaline, you’ve been fighting its effects.”

“Thank you.” Shepard said, groaning as her stomach growled. “Fuck, my arm hurts.”

“I had to give you a shot.” Chakwas said, taking the bucket away and offering a small glass of water. “Sips.” She stated.

“How would they have known how much to give you?” Garrus asked.

“Saren would have been able to access your file when you became a Candidate for the Spectres.” Chakwas said, “Nihlus mentioned all potential Mentors were given access to the files of Candidates just in case they were picked.” She added.

“Great.” Shepard groaned, finishing the water. “Now I’m hungry.”

“Garrus, make sure she eats before she sleeps.” Chakwas said, shooing the two out of the med bay.

“Yes ma’am.” Garrus smiled and followed Shepard to the galley. “What do you want to eat?” he asked searching the cupboards for her some kind of human food while Shepard took a glass form the counter and filled it with water again.

“There should be a box of Coco Bites in there somewhere, a bowl of those would help, if I eat anything too big now I’ll feel like a balloon all night.” She chuckled.

Garrus flicked his mandibles and after a little searching found the box she meant and the bowls, and for a while neither spoke, instead they were happy to sit in silent, Shepard eating her meal while Garrus checked the Dextro-foods and drinks.

“You really stock piled this ship up, Commander. Even Turians ships don’t have this much food.” He said after a short time.

“When you’ve lived on nothing for so long, you tend to over stock.” Shepard admitted. “Don’t you Turians have times when you go on long haul missions and you come back with just a little left over?”

“Not really Commander, Turian ships have a rule that any left overs mean someone isn’t eating their share and for the long hauls you have to eat everything you are given, they don’t stock us with junk foods, it’s all cabs to burn in the field. If we miss a meal, we’ll likely run out of energy before the mission begins.” He admitted.

“So that’s why you and Nihlus insist on cleaning the plate after every meal.” She smiled. “I thought it was just good manners.”

“It’s that too, no Turian mother can say she hasn’t raised her children to eat every meal and finish it to show they enjoyed it.” Garrus said. “It’s considered an insult if you don’t finish the food you are offered. With the exception of sides.”

“Wow.” Shepard said finishing her meal and smiled. “That was quite nice.”

“So, you’re going to bed now?” He asked. “No late-night work outs?

“Yea, I better, Chakwas will likely have me on bed rest if she catches me up too much later,” She smiled. “Did you want something?” she asked.

“I was coming to let you know that Lilihierax had some new tools brought to the ship for the Mako. I needed your signature for them but it can wait until you’ve had some rest.” He said. “I wasn’t really sure you were even still awake to be honest, I was just going to leave the pad with Nihlus but he mentioned you might still be up if I hurried.”

“I see, well, remind me when I wake up to sign the pad,” She said. “Good night Garrus.” She added and she headed away from the galley.

“Good night Commander.”


	4. Auld Lang Syne.

Chapter 4  
Auld Lang Syne.

Shepard woke to find Liara shaking her shoulders. “What? What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to get up, only to find her body felt heavy and sore, an after effect of the meds Chakwas had given her.

“The ship is under attack by human colonists on Feros.” Liara explained, “Our comms are down, we can’t get any word to anyone off or on world.” She added.

“Go tell Joker to use stun rounds and low-level voltage to keep them off the ship.” Shepard said, quickly pulling on her armour. “Don’t hurt them.”

“Yes Commander.” The Asari said rushing off while Shepard began to yell behind her.

“Garrus! Ashley! Get your gear!!” She yelled pulling on her helmet. “We’re going out there!”

“Nihlus is already out there, he’s trying to get rid of the Geth Jammer a few miles out, went with Tali and Wrex!” Garrus yelled back as he tightened his armour up and tossed her and Ashely their weapons.

~“Commander Shepard come in. Can you hear me?”~

“Talk fast Nihlus!” Shepard answered.

~“The Thorian is plant like, it is UNDER the Colony just past the docking bay.”~ Nihlus explained, ~“It is controlling the Colonists, you have to move the freighter out of the way to get to it, that’s what the Geth are after!”~ There was a loud bang and smash. ~“Son of a bitch!! I’m sending you the Gas formula for your grenades, it’ll paralyze the colonists without hurting them! Everything else, kill it!!!”~

“Got it.” Shepard said, using the information she got and nodded, sending it to Garrus and Ashley, growling as she caught sight of the date and time.

Once outside, they made their way into the Colony grounds, tossing the grenades at the feet of the colonists while shooting everything that wasn’t human.

“The fuck are these things?” Ashley asked.

“They are in the way, they aren’t human and they are clearly not friendly.” Shepard said, “Take them out.” She added ignoring the look Ashley gave her as she tossed a second grenade towards a gathering of colonists, while using her pistol to take down the none human things that were charging them.

“What’s gotten into you Commander?” Ashley asked.

“I am having a bad day!” Shepard said. “My head hurts, I feel like I haven’t slept at all and yet again, something is trying to kill crew mates and friends of mine. So pardon me if I seem off, I’m just a little pissed that people are trying to kill my people again.” She added.

~“Commander, we’ve got more of those Creeper things underground, we found the Thorian!”~ Tali called over the comms, ~“You’ll need big guns!”~

“How big?” Shepard asked.

~“Think rocket launcher!”~ Nihlus answered over the echo of gun shots. ~“On your six Wrex!”~

“We’re almost down!” Shepard said seeing the way down open and more Creepers heading down into the area. “Hang on!”

~“Take out the Creepers! We’re getting swarmed down here!”~ Nihlus pleaded over the comms.

“Shit!” Ashley yelped ducking under an attack before Garrus put a bullet in the Creeper’s head. “Where are they coming from?!”

“Everyone down!” Shepard yelled yanking the pin from a grenade. “Live Fire!!!!” she warned and ducked behind cover just as heat and fire swam up and down the entrance of to the Thorian.

There was the sound of heavy coughing and wheezing before Wrex spoke. ~“That was fun.”~

“Sorry Wrex,” Shepard said as they arrived and then she stopped. “Holy…”

“Wow…” Ashley said. “You weren’t kidding about bigger guns.” She added.

“Look.” Nihlus said noticing the Thorian appeared to be moving its head.

It slowly spat out what appeared to be a green Asari and that Asari stood up, a blank look in her eyes. “I speak for the Old Growth, as I did for Saren, you are within and before the Thorian, It commands that you be in awe.” The green Asari stated.

“You gave something to Saren, Something I need.” Shepard said, “Give it to me and I’ll be on my way.”

“Saren sought knowledge of those who are gone, the Old Growth listened to flesh for the first time in the long Cycle and trades were made.” The clone stated. “The cold ones began to kill the flesh that would tend the next cycle. Flesh fairly given!” She added. “It will listen to lies no more!” she added as the biotic powers of a true Asari flared. “You’re blood will feed the ground and new growth.” She snarled attacking Shepard and her crew mates.

“Not before yours.” Shepard growled, using her pistol as they fought, hearing the others yell and open fire and Creepers flooded in to the area again.

Suddenly the Thorian gave a strange unearthly screech and Wrex gave a loud battle cry. ~“Shoot the limbs that hold it up!”~

“You heard him!” Shepard said, while taking further shots at the Asari puppet, ducking around the debris and broken walls to avoid her biotic attacks.

“Commander!” Ashely called realizing Shepard wasn’t following them.

“Go Ash!” Shepard stated. “I can deal this!”

“But ma’am…”

“Come on Ash!” Garrus yelled. “We need that shot gun of yours up here!”

“GO!!” Shepard snarled, pushing herself off the wall and sweeping the clone’s legs from under her, using the few moments the shock brought her to reload her weapon.

“Yes Ma’am!”

Nihlus swooped under a strike from a creeper and drove his fist into its head, mashing it against the wall, then swiftly rolled to avoid Wrex’s shots over head. Tali and Ash worked their way ahead of Nihlus and Wrex unloading all hell from their shot guns while Garrus used his rifle to take pot shots at the limbs above them.

“The Thorian will see you rot!” the clone snarled grappling with Shepard as they pushed and shoved, neither gaining nor losing ground. The clone trying to put a bullet in Shepard’s head while Shepard tried to put Fang through the clone’s throat.

“Oh shut up!” Shepard said, “I’ve had quite enough of people threatening me and my friends.” She added, feeling strain in her shoulders. “Whatever Saren took from you I need it! And I am in no mood to play games!”

“Saren sough something beyond the comprehension of humans!”

“Try me, you over sized parasite!” Shepard snarled shoving the clone aside and unloaded a few shots into the Thorian’s ‘face’ as it began to move again, producing a second clone.

~“Commander?”~

“Toss me some ammo!” Shepard yelled up.

“Incoming!” Nihlus answered as a clip was dropped closely followed by another. “My last two pistol rounds!” He added.

“Thanks!” Shepard smiled, reloading her gun while sheltering from the dual biotic attacks. “This is NOT how I wanted to spend my day!”

~“But it’s such Fun!”~ Wrex chimed in as a creeper was thrown from the high levels and landed with a sickening snap.

“True, but it’s not what I had in mind!” Shepard said, “Not for today!”

~“What is today?”~ Tali asked.

“Today is the start of the Akuze Anniversary.” Nihlus explained quietly giving everyone reason to pause as Shepard vaulted her cover and swiftly took down the two clones as they took out the last limb holding the Thorian up.

As it fell, Shepard quickly climbed out of the way of its flailing limbs, coughing as she inhaled the dust and dirt its fall threw up.

A tri fingered hand fell on her shoulder and Shepard looked up to see Nihlus as he helped her stand again. “You alright?”

“Yea, just got a mouthful of dust.” Shepard said.

~“Commander, you might wanna see this.”~ Garrus said over the comms, ~“Top level.”~

“Coming up.” She answered, letting Nihlus help her climb the stairs and passed where Wrex was being tended by Tali, a Creeper had gotten lucky it seemed and cut the Krogan Battle Master’s face.

“This sack is still moving.” Garrus said, nodding to the large sack stuck to the wall.

Shepard nodded and carefully used Fang to cut the sack open, stepping back as the Asari inside the sack fell to the floor, with a heavy thud and groaned, slowly staggering back to her feet.

“That looked very unpleasant.” Tali said.

“I- I am free?” the Asari asked, eventually getting to her feet and looking around, slightly confused and dazed.

“Are you hurt?” Shepard asked.

“I- I am fine or at least I will be in time,” the Asari assured. “My name is Shiala, I served Matriach Benezia.”

“We know,” Shepard said boing her head, “Benezia is no longer amongst the living, she sent us here to find you and something called a Cipher.” She explained.

“Benezia is dead?” Shiala asked. “Oh my…” She added shaking her head slightly then took a deep breath, “Did she, did she suffer?”

“She fought Saren’s control, I can’t say yes or no to how that would affect her.” Shepard stated. “Asari Matriarchs are amongst the most intelligent and powerful beings in the galaxy, how could someone like Saren control her?”

“Saren has a Vessel, an enormous warship unlike any I’ve ever seen before, unlike any that is known to the fleets of the Citadel, he calls it Sovereign. It can dominate the minds of his followers and they become indoctrinated to Saren’s will, its subtle taking days or even weeks but in the end, it is absolute.” Shiala explained. “He knows you are looking for the Conduit that is why he attacked the Thorian, so you wouldn’t gain the Cipher.”

“Tell me what it is and why he needs it.” Shepard said.

“The beacon on Eden Prime gave you visions, but they are unclear and confused, they were meant for the mind of a Prothean.” Shiala explained straightening her back and putting her hands behind her back, as a teacher would when schooling her student. “To truly understand and comprehend them you must think like a Prothean, you must understand their culture, their history, their very existence. The Thorian was here when the Protheans built this City, it had been here before any other came, and it watched them, studying them and when they died, they were consumed and became part of the Thorian.”

“Then it taught Saren to think like a Prothean.” Shepard asked. “How?”

“The Cipher is the very essence of being a Prothean, it cannot be described or explained, it would be like describing colour to a creature with no eyes. To understand you must have access to endemic ancestral memory. A viewpoint spanning thousands of Prothean generations. Such knowledge cannot be taught, only exist.” Shiala said.

“I need that knowledge to stop Saren.” Shepard stated.

“There is a way.” Shiala said taking another deep breath. “I can transfer the knowledge from my mind to yours as I did with Saren.”

“Why do I not like the sound of that?” Ashley asked.

“Asari have the ability to pass thoughts between their minds, it is harmless as long as both sides are willing.” Tali explained. “Liara explained it to me when I asked why she was so sure her mother wasn’t herself when we found her.”

Shepard nodded. “I’ve heard of it, but the mental strain is often too much if you aren’t practiced in the art.” She said.

“True but if you withstood the beacon’s visons, you will have no difficulty with this.” Shiala explained, “you need only to relax your body and mind, and the rest will come easily, like learning to float on water.”

Shepard nodded, “Do it.” 

“Slow and deep breaths, Commander,” Shiala said and for a moment, she and the commander looked into one another’s eyes. 

Shepard felt her eyes burn as the visions she had been struggling to see suddenly flooded her mind again, but this time, with more clarity…

Protheans running and panicked, trying to escape something that was attacking them, bodies piling up, some kind of machine being used to torture those who still clung to life, screams echoing around her of all kinds.

Suddenly they were nothing but open space and the burning heat of a sun in front of her and she felt herself being pulled backwards past as a second sun and then thrown far into the outer reached of the system, past two planets, the second coming into focus slowly, before she was yanked into the planet and a huge machine appeared for a brief moment before she was…

Back on Feros, struggling to stand. “Whoa…” Thankfully, Nihlus and Garrus were able to catch her before she could fall. “Ow, ow, ow.”

“Are you alright?” Garrus asked and slowly Shepard nodded.

“I have given you the cipher, just as I did Saren, the memories are part of you now.” Shiala said. “It will take time for your mind to process the information. The headache will fade.”

“We better get you back to the ship, medical needs to know about this.” Nihlus said.

Shepard nodded. “Nihlus stay here and find out more about that ship of Saren’s, then we leave.”

“What about her?” Ashley asked.

“I wish to stay with the Colonists if you permit it, I wish to make amends for what happened here.”

“So be it.” Shepard said as she leant against Garrus, her legs struggling to hold her for a time. “Thank you, Shiala.”

“May fortune smile upon you, Commander.” Shiala bid, watching the Commander leave.

~~~@~~~

By the end of her talk with the council, she was ready to punch someone. Hard. The wall made a better target as it didn’t duck or complain about being hit.

“Son of a bitch.” She cursed heading to her room, tossing the data pad to the table as she all but fell onto the bed, shaking lightly as she tried to make sense of her day she had just had and the information she was having to try and make sense of it in her head.

She sighed and relaxed slowly as she listened to the sound of her own heartbeat, letting that sound calm her while she looked at the faint patens of the glass swan’s reflection on her wall.

“Knock, knock.” A soft chuckle sounded.

“If it’s anything to do with the Council or Alliance I don’t want to hear it.” Shepard said smiling lightly as Chakwas stepped into her field of vision.

“I actually came to ask if you were ok.” The doctor smiled. “The crew was a little shocked at your attitude today.”

“Yea, I was a little off with them, wasn’t I?” Shepard asked.

“Just a tad.” Chakwas said. “But given what today is, I can’t say I wouldn’t be the same.” She admitted, offering Shepard her hand. “Coming?”

Shepard looked to her Omni-tool and smiled a little. “It’s that time already,” She said letting Chakwas help her stand and they headed to the galley and then brought a pair tumbler glasses and a bottle of Moonshine. “Didn’t take you for a drinker, Doc.”

“I enjoy a small drink now and then and I know you hate drinking alone.” Chakwas smiled, filling their glasses. “To those we’ve lost,” she began raising her glass.

“And those we’ve loved,” Shepard ended gently clanking her glass against the other before taking a drink, pausing as she heard softly playing music and smiled. “Thanks Doc.”

Chakwas smiled kindly, pretending not to see the small tears as the music slowly grew louder until the melody became clear, a song every human would know on the ship, but only she knew the reason why when Shepard listened to this song it brought tears to her eyes.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind  
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne

Joker looked up as he heard the song and smiled lightly, adjusting his cap lightly.

“What is that sound?” Tali asked from behind him as she approached quietly, “It is beautiful…” She said.

“It’s a human song, For Auld Lang Syne, usually played when we remember the people we have lost.” Joker explained. “Or to celebrate the coming new year.”

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne.   
We’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

Liara was silent in her room, listening to the soft melody and silently let some tears slip down her cheeks, the melody helping to release some of the held back emotion she had been keeping in since losing her mother.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp and surely I’ll be mine  
And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne

Ashely and Alenko paused, listening to the song and shared a light smile, Ash even began to hum along softly.

Wrex gave a slight murr, liking the slow sound, it was rather soothing.

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere and gie's a hand o’ thine.  
And we’ll tak’ a right gude-willy waught, for auld lang syne.

Garrus looked up at the music, cocking his head slightly before looking to Nihlus. “Human music?” he asked.

“Song for those who have passed,” the older Turian nodded, handing Garrus a tool to help him with the Mako. “Shepard’s favourite song.”

For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne.   
We’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

“For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne… we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne…” Shepard sang softly, before finishing the Moonshine in her glass.

Chakwas smiled, carefully pulling the glass from Shepard’s numb fingers, “Another?” She asked softly.

Shepard shook her head. “I’m, I’m gonna go to bed for a while. Hope the nightmares leave me alone.”

Chakwas nodded. “Good night Marie.”

~~~@~~~

She winced in her sleep, rolling and trying to find comfort in the blanket, her ands clenched, trying to fight off the burning behind her eyes.

{A pair of slim arms lightly wrapped around her shoulders and neck lightly and a delicate chin rested against her shoulder. “So… you enjoy playing with Turians more than spending time with me, Lieutenant Commander Marie Jane Shepard?”

“Of course not Lieutenant Jade Kirana, but I am not about to back up from a challenge when I can get up close and personal.” Shepard smiled leaning against the older woman-}

(Protheans running and panicked, trying to escape something that was attacking them, bodies piling up, some kind of machine being used to torture those who still clung to life.)

{-“One of my many addictions. The first being you, Marie Jane Shepard.” Kirana chuckled before sitting beside Shepard with two warm drinks. “I cannot understand why such a beautiful thing like you could have such a brutal and unkind past.” She said quietly.

“Well, unlike Toombs not everyone is born with everything they want and need at their every cry.” Shepard said, “But I can’t complain, street life taught me how to survive anywhere, so this program is just a more comfortable version of that.”-}

(Suddenly they were nothing but open space and the burning heat of a sun in front of her, and she felt herself being pulled backwards past as a second sun)

{-“Fucker!!” Jennix screamed firing two rockets.

Ken screamed as she hit the ground, pinned by a torn off chuck of flesh, struggling to get herself free as the smell of blood and burning flesh assaulted the air. “My Legs! My Legs!”-}

(Thrown far into the outer reached of the system, past two planets the second coming into focus slowly)

{-“I am not letting you die on my watch!”

“You didn’t,”

“JENNIE!!!”-}

(She was yanked into the planet and a huge machine appeared)

{-“Double time!”

“It’s gone under him…” Kirana realized as she and Shepard paused on a more stable area of the rocks.

“Come on, come on…” Shepard pleaded, praying to whatever mighty thing that ruled fate was listening. “Run Jennix!!!”

Just as Jennix reached the Commander, the ground under him burst up wards and took Jennix with it. Shepard pushed Kirana into the rocky face behind them, wincing as several boulders and rocks hit her. “Fuck!”-}

She gasped as she sat bolt upright, panting heavily and covered in a cold sweat, her body shaking and her stomach turning. “Shit…” she managed to curse before darting into the bathroom to worship the toilet.

After a few minutes, she gave a shaky sigh and slumped against the wall. “Fuck…”

“Commander Shepard?” a timid voice asked and she half smiled as Liara dared to look in on her. “Are you- Is everything alright?”

“Yes. I’m alright Liara, just a very messed up dream.” She said with a soft sigh. “I think I might have overdone it yesterday, sharing minds with someone so close to the one night I know I get nightmares about that day.” She admitted, slowly getting to her feet.

“Would you like me to leave?” Liara asked.

“No, no I. I would be glad of some company today, I might just avoid drowning myself in Moonshine.” She admitted.

“Very well,” Liara said, offering the Commander a small pad. “This is what I was able to figure out from the vision you described to me, it isn’t much, but maybe it will help?” She said.

“Thank you Liara.” Shepard said then smiled lightly. “Could you ask Nihlus to scan systems with two suns for any signs of Geth activity? I remember there were two suns in the vision I had on Feros, maybe that will help us.”

“Of course, Commander.” Liara smiled.

Shepard smiled and headed to the Galley, seeing everyone was already there, enjoying their morning rations while chatting amongst themselves, reminding her again just how much she missed the crew of the Everfree…

She could see Jennie in Liara, the young and innocent soul of someone who hadn’t yet seen real trauma but was willing to be there and learn how to help those around her, even if they weren’t close to her. And in Wrex, she could see the protective side that she related to Commander Greens, the desire to end the suffering of his people but at the same time the knowledge that he couldn’t do it alone…

She’d seen hints of herself when she was young within Garrus when he first joined her, but now she could see him as a more mature, if a little reckless version of Jennix, but he also held his own unique traits. They helped her feel safe, even in the heat of things knowing he was behind her and in Nihlus she could see Moore. Kind, understanding and just a tiny hint of that old stubbornness she was sure had rubbed off on her.

In Tali, she saw a mix of herself and Jennie, the fear and uncertainty she had seen in Jennie was there, but so was the confidence to speak out from herself was there and the need to prove herself, especially now when she had become so close to them all.

She hated to admit it, but she saw Toombs’ attitude in both Kaidan and Ashley sometimes, the look of mistrust in their eyes when they looked at her or when they talked about the none humans, but she also saw the hints of her other crew mates now and then, the love of their families back home and the desire to serve the Alliance.

So many lives, lost for someone’s mistake… and now…

She looked at the OSD Garrus had found, having already read it she was sure now that Doctor Wayne had been somehow involved in what had happened on Akuze…

Maybe it was time to check on the lead Hackett had given her…

Just to put the nightmares to rest…

“Commander?” Nihlus asked, “Comm call from Amber Ruby for you.”

“Thank you.” Shepard nodded and headed to the comms room, smiling as Amber fuzzed into view. “Have something for me?” She asked.

~ “We’re getting reports from Omega that Balak is there under an assumed name. But I can’t confirm it without sending someone to Omega.” ~

“And no one who goes to Omega can go in with the pretty looks and nice stuff.” Shepard said, “Let me make some calls. And can you send me every report and file we have on Akuze please?”

~ “Akuze?” ~ Amber asked. ~ “Has something happened?” ~

“Hackett wants me to look into some other events that may be linked to it… I need to know what if I have missed something while I’m doing it.” She said.

~ “Very well Shepard, Good luck.” ~ she bid as the signal cut off.

Shepard sighed and rubbed her face, “This is gonna be fun.” She said and began to type rapidly until the comms opened again and she waited. “Come on, come on… answer the damn call.”

~ “Well, well, this is an interesting event.” ~ A voice stated with a sweet smile in her tone. ~ “Why would little Runt be contacting me?” ~

“Don’t play games Aria.” Shepard pleaded softly. “I need to arrange something and if I have to send you a years’ worth of Moonshine, so be it.” 

~ “What do you need?” ~ the Asari on the other end asked.

“I’m sending you a file on a Batarian terrorist I need catching, wrapping in a big bow and sending ass first into the arms of the Alliance Anti-terrorist group on Earth. Preferably alive. Once I get confirmation he is there, you get your Moonshine.” She explained. “Or is the new Queen of Omega too busy to help a little Runt like me?”

~ “You owe me a favour for this one Runt.” ~ Aria said, ~ “I’ll collect one day.” ~

“I know you will,” She sighed.

“So, what’s the plan Commander?” Nihlus asked from behind her and she nodded. 

“Have Joker set course for the Co-ordinates Hackett gave us.” She said.

~~~@~~~

~“Dropping Mako in 3… 2… 1… DROP!”~ Joker stated over the comms as the Mako was released from the Normandy.

“I hate this part.” Alenko winced clutching the arms of his seat while Garrus braced his feet ready for impact and gave a slight grunt as the Mako bounced heavily.

“Everyone ok?” Shepard asked.

“Yes ma’am.”

“I’m gonna throw up.” Alenko warned before diving out of the Mako.

“We need to teach him how to hold his food better.” Garrus chuckled lightly while Shepard began to scan the planet. “What do you see?”

“I see a nameless ship and a facility that shouldn’t be here.” She said. “Alenko get in here!”

“Aye Ma’am.” Kaidan said shakily getting back into the Mako as they moved off heading to the facility, swerving to miss the sudden barrage of turret fire. “Fuck.”

“Garrus.”

“On it,” Garrus said as he climbed into the gun turret of the Mako, aiming and opening fire while Alenko scanned for more turrets just to be safe. “Merc style.” He stated.

“Great.” Shepard growled as they pulled alongside the facility. “Let’s do this.”

“Aye Ma’am!” They chorused as they headed inside.

“Shit! Take them out!” A Merc yelled before gun shots rang out.

“Guess we know the doctor is here.” Alenko said aiming and taking a shot.

“Then we kill these bastards and get to him before they get to him.” Shepard growled. “I want to know what he had to do with Akuze.” She added.

“They’re using low standard weapons.” Garrus said as he took out one of the Mercs trying to get a shot at Shepard. “They are either new to the job or didn’t plan on anyone finding them here.” He added.

“They’ll fall easy then.” She said yanking the pin from one of her grenades and tossing it. “Cover.” She stated and Garrus wisely stepped back behind the wall while Alenko ducked behind a crate.

“Oh Shit!!” one shouted before the grenade went off, taking out a hand full of the Mercs.

Shepard moved up and swiftly snapped another Merc’s neck, taking a similar style of fighting to when she had faced Fist’s Thugs on the Citadel while Garrus an Alenko took shots at the Mercs who tried to hide.

Shepard threw the last Merc aside and head deeper into the facility, ignoring the crates knowing Alenko would search them while Garrus watched her six. Whatever they had in the crates could be looked over later, when she had time to think.

She wanted answers.

And she wasn’t going to be denied them again.

She came to a door and it opened to show two men, one dressed in some kind of Scientist uniform and the other in an amour Shepard recognized instantly and signalled to Garrus and Alenko to lower their weapons. “Hold your fire!”

“Stay back!” the armoured man snarled levelling his pistol at the other man’s head. “I have no grief with you, all I want is this Bastard!”

“Please, you have to stop-” the scientist cried.

“Shut up! You don’t get to lie! You don’t get to-” 

“Toombs?!” Shepard asked. “Corporal Toombs…”

The armoured man froze, watching Shepard remove her helmet before he realized who she was. “Lieutenant-? Shepard? My god. Shepard is that really you?”

Shepard nodded. “I, I saw you go down Toombs, I saw the Maws take you.” She said, “How did you get here?”

“They took me, Shepard!” Toombs said glaring at the scientist. “This man was their superior, Doctor Wayne. The one calling the shots!”

“You can’t prove any of this! There isn’t any proof.” Wayne cried. “You can’t believe Toombs! He’s delusional! I demand a fair trial!” Wayne snarled then yelped as Shepard’s fist impacted on his face.

“I was there you bastard!” She snarled. “I saw the Maws on Akuze! I know what happened!” she snapped and then turned to Toombs again “Talk to me Toombs, how the hell did you get from that hell to here? How are you still alive?!”

“They were running tests on the Maws, Shepard.” Toombs said, aiming his gun back at Wayne’s head. “They let those things lose and watched as our entire team was slaughtered, for some kind of study they were doing. I woke up in a holding cell after I went down. They were delighted I had survived, now they had someone to run their sick tests on.”

Shepard moved forwards and put a hand on Toombs gun making him look at her again. “What did they do to you Toombs?”

“They used me for their personal Gini pig! Maw acid was injected into my veins and my body was a pin cushion for their probes!” Toombs growled. “This man deserved to die Shepard. For everyone we lost on Akuze!”

“Toombs, if you kill him, you have no way to prove he was the one who did this to you.” Shepard said. “I can’t undo what they did but I can help you get justice for them.”

“HOW? By letting him live in a cell?! He murdered Jade, Jennie, David, Simon- All of our friends! How can you say he deserves to live?!”

“I didn’t say that.” Shepard said. “But I can’t prove anything if he is dead,” She added, “Please let me help you.”

Toombs looked ready to shoot Wayne but eventually he went limp and lowered the gun. “Alright, I’m not a murderer. They couldn’t make me one.”

“They can’t hurt you anymore, Toombs.” Shepard said, tapping her comm-link. “Joker, tell the fifth fleet we have a pickup.” She said then nodded to Alenko and Garrus. “Take this piece of shit and make sure he is locked in a cell until the fifth fleet gets here.”

“Aye ma’am.”

Toombs watched Alenko march the doctor away while Garrus followed him, then bowed his head. “The vids say you were the sole survivor of Akuze, that no one else made it.” he said.

“We were wrong,” Shepard said. “Toombs, if I had known you were still alive, I’d have made them look for you.” She added.

“I know. You, you weren’t the same after what happened there,” He said, “I saw the vids, how you acted, you were stronger than I thought you would be.” he added, taking his tags off his neck and looking at them. “I’m sorry, for all the things I said to you back then.”

“It’s over Toombs, we’ll get you back on your feet again.” She said with a smile. “Your family can help you, and the Alliance.”

“Thank you for the offer,” Toombs said handing her the tags and taking a step back, “But I’m beyond saving now Shepard, all I hear are screams, their screams, just nightmares…”

“I still have them.” She admitted with a nod, “Let me help you Toombs.”

“You already have Shepard.” He said with a slight smile before swiftly raising his pistol to his head.

“No!” Shepard didn’t have time to react as he slumped to the ground.

She heard Garrus return behind her, the soft growl of his throat that cut off with shock as he saw what had happened told her he’d thought she was in danger. She closed her eyes and forced the tears away, before saluting Toombs’ body. “Garrus, bring him to the Mako with us. Carefully.”

“Yes Commander.” Garrus said softly, not mentioning the slight tremble he could see in her as he lifted the dead man from the floor.

The pickup was silent, the ship became cold and dark as Shepard sat beside the table Garrus set Toombs’ body in, watching Chakwas carefully preform her autopsy to confirm the tests and accusations against Doctor Wayne, finding evidence that Doctor Wayne had in fact been using Cerberus technology to torture Toombs for years.

She spent hours carefully preparing him so he was ready to be received by his family on earth before leaving the bay, though Shepard didn’t leave when Chakwas had finished, instead just sat there, holding Toombs’ tags and waiting for the Fifth fleet to arrive.

Hours later, Admiral Hackett himself turned up with them, heading to the medical bay while the Fifth Fleet officers collected Doctor Wayne from lock up.

“Commander?”

“He’s been alive this whole time.” She said. “Why didn’t anyone find him?” She asked.

“Shepard, no one knew he was alive.” Hackett said.

“Someone knew.” She snarled, “Someone, somewhere knew that I wasn’t the only one to survive and they kept it hidden, they let him suffer at the hands of madmen until you found out about the Scientists dying.”

“Shepard-.”

“I went looking for answers because you sent me. Now I have some but not all.” She said clutching the tags tightly. “What else have you hidden from me Hackett?”

“Nothing was hidden from you Shep-whoa!”

“He was Alive!” Shepard screamed as Hackett ducked under the empty tray she had thrown at him. “All these years I was told it was just me!! I was the only one who got out of that hell!! The only one who had the nightmares of what happened to my crew seared into my brain!! And now I find that Toombs was alive, held prisoner by the sick bastards that allowed Akuze to happen for some sick study! Cerberus Study! You have contacts everywhere that tell you about Cerberus Hackett so do not stand there and LIE TO ME!!”

“Shepard please!”

“Tell me the truth! Did you know?!” she demanded.

Doctor Chakwas entered the medical bay, her head low and her hands behind her back. “Commander, we are ready to move Corporal Toombs.”

Shepard took a moment to wipe her face of the tears and nodded, watching several officers come in with a coffin and carefully lift the body and place it inside it, sealing it with a heavy, echoing click that cracked the already breaking mask on Shepard’s face as they wheeled it out.

Hackett followed it, Shepard right behind him with Chakwas at her side, the human crew of the Normandy were gathered in the docking bay and as Toombs’ coffin passed they each saluted, even Joker had managed to pull himself from his chair, leaning on his crutches as he saluted the passing coffin.

Shepard was the last to raise her hand to her head, eyes close and jaw set even as Hackett turned to speak with her. He thought better of it and then with a nod, bid the commander good bye and left the ship.

“Skeleton crew.”

The older woman nodded and showed the other crew members away, while Nihlus, Garrus, Wrex, Tali, Liara, Ashley and Alenko took the place of the skeleton crew, while Joker shut down all cameras and made sure that all incoming calls for Shepard were skilfully declined. Only when the crew was gone did Shepard’s fist in the wall with enough force to dent it, sliding down the wall to her knees, shoulders shaking and face red as the tears she’d held back for almost ten long years were finally falling freely.

~~~@~~~

The Citadel was eerily silent as the Ship docked.

Pallin knew that there were at least nine snipers each with a clean shot lined up for the doctors head if he dared to try anything.

Madam Amber Ruby was stood to the left somewhere, with Admiral Moore, Retired comms officer Ken, the Jennix widow and her son, and the two younger Greens Officer. And to his right where Captain Anderson, Ambassador Udina and Madam Kirana. Surrounded him and mixed amongst the gathered crowds were people he knew were not connected to the Alliance or Akuze, but they all knew the Commander and had heard about what had been uncovered and were there to see the man who had caused their friend such pains.

The wolves were gathered for the metaphorical meal they were about to have when Doctor Wayne faced trial. 

~~~@~~~

Silently, Chakwas knelt beside Shepard’s trembling form, Liara had brought a large blanket from the storage and placed it over the Commander, more for comfort then warmth and around the Commander were opened and empty bottles of Moonshine. 

Normally, Chakwas would scald her for her behaviour, but given what had happened the doctor just stayed quiet, waiting for Shepard to notice her. Then like she had done before many years ago, Chakwas would help her recover, be that just by being there to listen when Shepard was ready to talk, or give her the motherly telling off for her behaviour, she would be there.

When the empty bottle of Moonshine lightly clattered to the floor, it was clear Shepard had fallen asleep and Chakwas waved for Garrus to help her, without a sound the Turian carefully lifted Shepard up and carried her to the medical bay, where she could be monitored during the night.

“Has she done this before Doctor Chakwas?” he asked quietly as he gently placed the blanket back over the Commander, “you seem to be taking this better than the rest of us with…”

“This is Shepard’s ways of coping.” Chakwas nodded. “She has done this before but back then, she was able to keep the tears in. I think watching Toombs give up after so long was the metaphorical straw that broke the camel’s back.” She explained. “For now, it is better to just let her sleep it off and tomorrow, when she has had time to process what has happened, we will move on. One step at a time.”

“Should I tell Nihlus?” Garrus asked.

“Wait until the Commander wakes up.” Chakwas said. “She needs to sleep.”

“Understood.” The Turian nodded before quietly leaving the bay.

~~~@~~~

The Council was unable to speak in this matter, but they were able to observe and despite himself, Councillor Sparatus found himself envious that the Humans held such brutality in their Prisons.

The Doctor was held in solitary confinement, but unlike other prisoners, the Doctor was in the hands of the Wolf Gang and for them, solitary truly meant solitary. 

He’d seen the recorded feeds of the Doctor’s first day in lock up, locked in a four-foot by four-foot padded cell, no windows, no utilities, no food, only a small cup of water that was delivered by simple mech that had no voice, he was also stripped of any comfort, no blanket or pillow, not even a cot to sleep on, just a cold hard floor in the cell.

He was watched via cameras and while he had spent the first two hours screaming for some mercy, he had not been granted any and no one came to him as he sobbed and pleaded. 

His jailers were cold and harsh, but they insured he was fit enough to stand trial, dragging him in chains and cuffs two and from the court house in front of thousands of people who demanded that he be put to death.

“What will they do?” he heard Tevos ask Anderson.

“Likely after the families have spoken and Shepard’s report and recovery are explained to the Judge, they will do one of two things.”

“There si a choice?” Sparatus asked.

“Life in prison, with no hope of ever getting out. Or death.”

“Death?” Verlan asked.

“They will take him for a long walk down a white corridor, strap him into a chair, wire him to a heart monitor and then inject him with sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride.” Anderson said, “Unless the families demand he be given something worse.”

“They would allow that?” Sparatus asked.

“That man caused the death of forty-nine crew man and woman on the Everfree, and the deaths of countless innocent people who started the Akuze colony.” Anderson reminded, “He has no rights to a painless death.”

~~~@~~~

She woke up with a hangover from hell.

Head pounding the base of her heartbeat, her body aching and sore, everything felt so heavy and restrained. Then something cool was pressed lightly to her forehead and she felt herself shift towards the coolness, groaning lightly.

“Good morning Commander.”

“Water…” She said and then took a long drink as Chakwas offered her a glass with small ice cubes in it. “Thank you.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Shocking,” Shepard said staying huddled under the blanket. “I feel heavy.”

“You did drink a lot of Moonshine.” Chakwas stated.

“Oh,” Shepard said going quiet. “I didn’t, I didn’t hurt anyone, did I?” She asked.

“No. Worried them, but not hurt.” Chakwas assured softly. “Joker and Nihlus have been keeping the Comm chatter to a minimum, the only ones who know you are ‘unwell’ are Anderson, the Council, Moore, Amber Ruby and Benjamin.” She added.

Shepard smiled. “I need to talk with him, he’s likely driving Joker mad with update requests.” She said slowly shifting in her warm blanket cocoon and then realized something. “We’re docked?” She asked.

“Space port, refuelling.” Chakwas nodded. “Nihlus has been talking to the council in your stead.”

“How long have I been here?” She asked.

Chakwas sighed. “Between handing Toombs’ body and Doctor Wayne over to the fifth fleet and now, just short of three weeks. You’ve been drinking, relapsing and having fits from the visions and memory lapses during that time…”

“How many of the crew are left?” Shepard asked with a groan.

“All of them.” Chakwas smiled and Shepard peaked out of her blanket with shock. “They were scared at first, none of them were aware you could be quite so, well, unlike yourself, but after Nihlus and Garrus started to get responses out of you, and you called Liara ‘Jennie’, they realized you weren’t going to kill them in some rage induced fit.” She explained. “You might want to avoid the comms until after you have freshened up a little though…”

“I look that bad?” She asked.

Chakwas chuckled. “Go wash up Commander, you’ll feel better for it.” She added as Shepard slowly slipped out of the blanket and sluggishly headed for the showers.

After drying and dressing she caught sight of herself in the mirror and sighed taking the hair brush and carefully brushing out the mess and putting it back up into a tight bun before leaving the room.

~“Can I talk to Aunt Shepard today?”~ Benjamin was asking and Nihlus looked torn.

“I’m not sure if she’s awake yet-” the Turian began to say.

“Someone say my name?” She asked, saving Nihlus from lying and causing Benjamin’s face to light up with a smile. “I guess I have some things to explain, don’t I?” she said.

Benjamin shook his head. ~“Mum told me about Corporeal Toombs and it was all over the news. Are you ok?”~ He asked.

“I’ll cope, Benjamin.” She said. “How are the Toombs Family?” She asked, smiling as Nihlus stepped out of the way of the holo platform so she could step on and into view.

~“Mum says they are ‘out for blood.’ But that was after she got a call from Admiral Moore to say that they wanted support from the other families of the Akuze Massacre.”~ He explained. 

“Tell Moore they have my support too.” Shepard said.

~“Yes Aunt Shepard.”~ Benjamin smiled. ~“Will you catch that rouge soon?”~ He asked.

Shepard smiled. “I’m hoping so,” She said, seeing Nihlus take a call from someone else. “Tell you what, you send me a text report of everything I have missed and when I have this guy, I’ll come back and spend time with you. How’s that?”

~“I will get right on it, Commander.”~ Benjamin smiled, saluting proudly.

“Commander, emergency comm.” Nihlus said. “Council.” He added.

“Talk soon Benjamin.” She assured before the link to the young boy cut off. “Maybe I should have worn a jacket.”

“You’ve got a reason to not wear formal.” Nihlus said. “They’ll just have to understand or stuff it.”

Shepard smiled. “I think my attitude is rubbing off on you Nihlus.”

Nihlus smiled and held his fingers together. “Just a little.”

~“We have received information that may be critical to your mission against Saren.”~ Tevos stated, politely ignoring the casual baggy pants and an oversized shirt.

~“An Urgent message from one of our infiltration regiments in the Traverse.”~ Valern stated.

“Spies you mean.” Shepard stated.

~“Spectres attract attention. Special Task Groups are often a better option to monitor developing situations.”~ The Asari Councillor explained. ~“This particular unit was gathering intel on Saren.”~

~“Unfortunately the message was little more that static, they cannot set up interstellar communications it seems. The message was sent on a channel reserved for mission-critical communications. Whatever they were trying to tell us, it must have been important.”~ Valern explained. ~“The signal originated from the Planet Virmire.”~

“We’ll look into it.” Shepard said before cutting the comms. “How far are we from Virmire?” She asked.

“About two days travel.” Nihlus said.

“When we finished stocking up, we head there,” She said.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“If I stay still, I’ll start drinking again. Wayne will face trial and have his entire life ruined by the families of those his actions killed but that will mean nothing if Saren’s plan, whatever it is, isn’t stopped.” She said. “And right now, punching that bastard is starting to feel like a very good idea.” She smiled.

“Very well.” Nihlus stated.

~~~@~~~

~“Commander you are not gonna like this.”~ Joker stated over the comms.

“What now?” Shepard asked, steering the Mako over the unlucky Geth that wasn’t fast enough to move out of her way.

~“We touched down at the base but it looks like we are grounded.”~ He explained.

“Why?” Shepard asked hearing Garrus take down another target with the turret.

~“The Salarian captain can explain when you get here.”~ Joker said.

“Hold on.” Shepard said and pushed her foot down harder, making the Mako throw waves to the sides.

Tali and Garrus held their seats as the Mako skidded and slide around the water way, reaching the base in record time to see Ashely and Alenko stood talking to a Salarian.

Ashley and Kaidan looked back as the Mako skidded to a stop. “She’s mad.” Kaidan said.

“Very.” Ashley said.

“Your Commander?” the Salarian asked before Shepard all but broke the sand grains under her feet as she marched up the beach.

“I want answers and I want them now, what do you mean we are grounded and what the hell is going on here?” Shepard demanded while Garrus and Tali slipped out of the way.

“My name is Kirrahe, and you are grounded because you landed in a hot zone, ever Anti-air gun with in ten miles has been alerted to your presence here,” The Captain said. “We have to stay put until the Council reinforcements we asked for arrive.”

“We are the reinforcements.” Shepard said. “Your transmission wasn’t clean, they didn’t even get words out of it just static they sent us to check it out.”

“You are all they sent? I ask for a fleet.” The Salarian stated. “I lost half my men investigating this place…”

“What is this place?” Shepard asked, “I’m not standing here for the damn fun of it.”

“Saren’s base of operations, he set up a research facility here but it is crawling with Geth and very well fortified. And from what we have seen he is also using this place to breed an Army of Krogan.” Kirrahe stated.

“How is that possible?” Wrex asked as he stepped closer. “one in every thousands of our young are still born because of your genophage.”

“Apparently, he has found a cure to the genophage.” Kirrahe explained hesitantly.

“Geth were bad enough but with Krogan Saren will be unstoppable.” Shepard said and Wrex gave her a look. “I’ve seen you fight Wrex; you’re people aren’t easily brought down even when they are young. If Saren commands an army of Krogan, he’ll win.”

“My thoughts exactly, which is why this facility and its secretes must be destroyed.” Kirrahe said. “We introduced the genophage after the Krogan uprising, to quell their numbers-”

“Destroyed?” Wrex growled. “I don’t think so. My people are dying and this cure can save them.” he said looking at Shepard.

“If that cure leaves this planet we will never stop the Krogan. We can’t make the same mistake again.” Kirrahe stated.

Shepard opened her mouth to speak only to have Wrex step up and jab a finger at the Captain. “We are NOT mistakes.” Wrex snarled before stomping off.

“Kirrahe, from now on, don’t speak around Wrex unless you want him to kill you,” Shepard sighed. “I’ll talk to him while you do whatever it is you need to do to get us a way into that facility.” She said before turning to Kaidan and Ashley, “You two stock up on ammo, stims and whatever else we need.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Shepard.” Nihlus’s voice cut through the air and Shepard turned on him. “A moment.”

“What is it Nihlus?” she asked.

“Are you sure you want to talk to Wrex alone…?” he asked as the Krogan fired shots into the water.

“He’ll listen to reason,” She said, “he’s just angry that the Salarian isn’t thinking of all the options.” She added lightly patting Nihlus’s shoulder and heading towards Wrex.

She could see he was tense and as he turned to her she did the one thing she knew would make Nihlus worry more, but prove to Wrex she wasn’t there to argue, she dropped her weapons to the sand.

Wrex seemed to get it and growled, looking out to the water.

“This isn’t right Shepard.” He said. “If this is a cure for the Genophage, we can’t destroy it! It could save my people.”

“I understand that Wrex,” Shepard assured. “But think about it, if this was really a cure, why hasn’t Saren gone to your home worlds and used it there on the larger numbers, why confine it here?” she asked. “He is the enemy, he is the one you should be angry with.”

“Really, because from where I am standing the lines between friend and foe are getting blurry. Help me out here.” Wrex snarled out. “He made a cure for my people, you want to destroy it.”

“No I don’t.” Shepard said and Wrex gave her a snarling growl. “Wrex; I don’t know what it’s like to not have something because it’s been taken from you by someone else, but I do know what it’s like to want something to be given back to you, I lost friends and I would die now if it meant bringing them back. But the way I see it this isn’t a cure, it’s a weapon and if Saren is allowed to use it, you won’t be here to reap the benefits long term, none of us will.”

“This is the fate of my entire people Shepard… I’ve been loyal to you so far, Hell, you did more for me than anyone ever did. But if I am to keep following you, I need to know it’s for the right reasons.” Wrex stated looking at his gun.

“These Krogan aren’t your people, they are slaves to Saren, tools for his plans. Is that what you want for all Krogan?” Shepard asked, “To be nothing but heavy hitting cannon fodder on the field?”

Wrex was silent for a time, then shook his head. “No. We were tools to the Council once and to thank us for wiping out the Rachni, they neutered us all… I doubt Saren will be so generous.” He said putting his gun away. “Alright Shepard, you made your point. I don’t like this, but I trust you enough to follow your lead. But when we find Saren, I want his head.”

“You will get it, but you might have to wait until the trial.” She promised offering her hand to him.

Wrex took it and nodded. “Thank you, Shepard. For not shooting me in the back over this.” He thanked.

“You’ve been a friend and aid to me Urdnot Wrex and I don’t like wronging my friends.” She said. “And don’t worry, we’ll figure out a way to cure the Genophage, might take a while but we’ll do it.”

Liara smiled from where she was stood with Garrus. “Do you think anyone else would have been able to do that?” She asked.

“Not in such a short time and making it look so easy.” The Turian said helping Tali to pack up needed medical supplies and a few other things for Chakwas while Shepard moved to talk with Kirrahe and Nihlus.

“What is the plan?” Wrex asked.

“Ashley is going with the Salarians, Kaidan is helping to prep the nuke, Nihlus and Joker are staying with the ship and the rest of us get to shoot all hell out of Saren’s army here.” Shepard listed.

“Basically,” Garrus nodded. “Still think Humans can’t have fun?” he asked Wrex.

Wrex chuckled. “I think Shepard’s soul is trapped in the wrong body,” He admitted as Shepard looked over the plans the Salarians had.

“I thought Female Krogan weren’t allowed to be warriors?” Garrus stated.

“Never said she was a Krogan.” Wrex smirked.

“Less talking more checking.” Nihlus stated as he walked passed, “Shepard is going to need all the help she can get.” He added as Garrus continued to run scans on the facility searching out weak points to try and hack while Wrex helped to move the huge cargo around to make room for the nuke.

“Who is Shepard taking with her?” Garrus asked.

“Liara and Tali.” Nihlus stated. “And a lot of prays.” He added as gunshots were heard. “So it begins.”

~~~@~~~

The com chatter was comforting, at least she knew her people were safe as they cut down the Geth numbers, “Are you two ok?” She asked as Liara and Tali took cover.

“Peachy as you humans say.” Tali said.

“I am still standing.” Liara smiled. “How are we doing do you think?” She added.

“So far, Geth, angry Krogan and indoctrinated Salarians, I’d say we are doing well. Ask me again when we face Saren himself.” Shepard stated, “We know he’s here.” She added.

“Let’s just hope that the Salarians we let out get away from here.” Tali said.

“Or that the blast ends their suffering.” Liara said as they cut down two more Geth troopers and then entered what looked like an office.

And found an Asari cowering under her desk. “Please don’t shoot!” she cried, “I’m unarmed!”

“Tell me who you are and why you are here.” Shepard barked out. “Now!”

“Rana Thanoptis, neurospecialist. But this job isn’t worth dying over or worse.” The young Asari stated, “The indoctrination effects everyone not just the prisoners and Sooner or later Saren will want to dissect my brain too!”

“I thought this was a breeding facility.” Shepard stated.

“Not on this level, we’ve been studying the effect Sovereign has on organic minds, at least that was what I had assumed, Saren kept us in the dark as much as possible. The elevator behind me will take you to Saren’s privet labs, assess to his personal files everything. Just let me get out of here, please.”

“Tell me why Saren needs to study indoctrination.” Shepard said.

“The indoctrination is caused by Sovereign, it makes you obey Saren but I don’t think he’s fully in control of it and I think he’s worried it might also be effecting him.” Rana said. “That’s all I know, please you have to let me go!”

Shepard nodded, “I’m going to blow this place to hell and beyond, if you want to stay alive I suggest you get running.” She said, “And pray you don’t run into any of the free test subjects.” She added.

Rana took less than a second to get out the door.

“I believe you enjoyed that, Shepard.” Tali accused playfully.

“You have no idea.” Shepard smiled. “Come on, we might find something useful down there.”

They moved down into the privet area and began to look around, until Tali called out. “Shepard look over here. It’s another beacon.” 

“Like the one on Eden Prime.” Shepard slowly move closer to the beacon, it did look similar but there was something different about this beacon, but before she could think of it the beacon lifted her from the floor. “Oh fuck!”

She winced, feeling the same painful ache in her head as it had on Eden Prime, flooding her mind with more images, more sounds, smells, feelings and then she was dropped to the ground again.

“Shepard?!”

“By the Goddess!” Liara gasped as they rushed forwards and helped the Commander back to her feet. “Are you…?”

“I’m- I’m alright- I think…” Shepard said, shaking her head. “Ohhhh… W-w-we need to keep moving.” she added as she regained feeling to her body.

“I get the feeling something bad is about to happen.” Tali stated as they reached the edge of a platform where a red image seemed to hover. 

“You are not Saren.” A voice stated.

“A VI?” Tali asked.

“Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh, you touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding.” The image stated sounding robotic and cold.

“I do not think this is a VI…” Liara said.

“There is a realm of existence for far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it, I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign!” the image said.

“This isn’t just some Reaper ship that Saren found,” Shepard hissed, the images fluttering in her mind again to confirm her thoughts. “Sovereign’s an actual Reaper.”

“Reaper. A Prothean label to give a voice to their destruction. In the end what they choose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are.” The reaper proclaimed firmly. “Organic life is but a genetic mutation, an accident. Your lives are measured in years and decades. You wither and die. We are eternal, the pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us you are nothing, your extinction is inevitable we are the end of everything.”

“There is an entire galaxy of races united and ready to face you.” Shepard stated.

“The cycle cannot be broken.” The reaper stated. “This pattern has repeated itself more times that you can fathom, Organic civilizations rise, evolve, advance and at their apex of their glory they are extinguished. The Protheans were not the first, they merely found the legacy of my kind.” it went on. “In building your own technology based on our works, you have followed the paths we desire.”

“It’s a harvest. Letting us advance to the level they need and then wiping us out.” Liara said in realization.

“What do you’re kind want with us?” Shepard asked. “Slaves? Resources? And where are the rest of you or are you the last?”

“We are legion. The time of our return is coming, our numbers will darken the sky of every world. You cannot escape your doom.” The reaper assured.

“Try it, you and your kind are not alive, you’re are machines and machine can be broken.” Shepard stated. “I’ll see to that myself.”

“Your worlds are as empty as your future. I am the vanguard of your destruction this exchange is over.” The image stated before it faded and something caused the windows to shatter inwards, showering the three in glass shards.

~“Commander? We got trouble!”~ Joker said over the comms, ~“That ship. Sovereign? It’s moving! I don’t know what you did down there but that thing just pulled a turn that would shear any of our ships in half! It’s heading towards you hard and fast.”~

“This console is no longer functioning. Ideas Commander?” Liara asked.

“We head for the breeding facility. Joker can pick us up after we set the nuke.” Shepard said leading them out of the room, listening to the comm chatter as they worked their way towards the facility, taking out anything that got in their way.

Joker’s cheer at the Guns going down lifted a heavy weight off her shoulders as the ship slowly lowered down into place. “Thank the stars.” She sighed.

“Bomb is in position.” Alenko stated. “We’re all set he-”

~“Commander! Can you read me?!”~ Williams called over the comms sounding out of breath, worried and almost drowned out by the gunfire around her.

“Ash what’s wrong?” Shepard asked. “Get your ass moving and get out of there.”

~“The Geth have us pinned down on the AA Tower! Too hot for pickup! Heavy casualties! We’ll hold them off as long as we-”~ Ash began to say before the channel went down.

“Ash?!”

“Go get them, meet me back here.” Kaidan stated. “I need a few minutes to set the bomb.” He added.

“Liara! Wrex with me! Up to the AA Tower! MOVE!!” Shepard yelled as they raced to the elevator.

Once at the top Wrex growled, “The Geth are dropping reinforcements.” He said as they ducked for cover, firing on the ships that were coming up on them.

~“Heads up L-T, we just spotted a troop ship heading to you.”~ Ash commed.

~“They are already here! They’re swarming the bomb site!”~ Kaidan reported. ~“I’m setting the bomb now!”~

“What?! Alenko what are you doing?!” Shepard demanded.

~“Making sure this bomb does what we need it to do, Ma’am.”~ He stated. ~“Go get Ash… please, Shepard. Get her out of here.”~

~“Alenko you bastard!”~ Ash yelled down the comms, ~“This is not fair you son of a-!”~

~“I’m sorry Ash.”~

Shepard growled. “Williams, radio Joker and tell him to meet us on the AA Tower.”

~“Aye-Aye Ma’am.”~ Ash answered though she didn’t sound pleased by it.

~“Thank you Shepard.”~

“So help me if we weren’t in the middle of this I would come back there and kill you myself,” She stated down the comms. “So help me Alenko…”

~“I don’t regret any of it Commander, it has been an honour.”~ Alenko stated before shutting off the comms.

“Move out!” Shepard snarled as she and her team moved on, shooting down Geth and Krogan as they went to clear their way to the elevator, the ride up seemed to take forever and Shepard hated it. Once they left the elevator space, she all but ripped the head off one of the Geth that dared to get too close to her before the comm-link blipped to life again.

~“You need to hurry Commander! We can’t hold the off here much longer!”~ Ash cried. ~“Watch the corners and supress fire!”~ She added before the comms cut off again.

Shepard growled, “Could this get any worse?!” She demanded.

“You had to ask.” Wrex said looking up and yanking Shepard back as a biotic orb slammed into the ground where she had been. “Saren!”

“Take cover!” Shepard managed to yell before she was thrown into the solid wall she had been running towards to take cover behind herself, growling she drew her gun and opened fire, seeming to ignore the fact the bullets bounced off the silver Turian’s Biotics. “Fuck.”

“It was an impressive diversion Shepard. My Geth were convinced the Salarians were the real threat,” Saren stated in some odd praise to her as she ducked behind a crate. “Of course this was for nothing. I cannot let you disrupt my work here, not when you have no true understanding of what is truely at stake here,” he said.

“Try me, tell me why you are doing this.” She challenged signalling to Wrex and Liara to stay down, noticing Liara was trying to quickly patch up an injured Wrex.

“You’ve seen what the Beacons hold Shepard, you of all people should understand what the Reapers are capable of. They cannot be stopped. The Protheans tried to fight and were utterly destroyed, do not make their mistake and sacrifice everything for the sake of petty freedom.” Saren stated. “But if they had bowed before their invaders they would have survived. Is Submission not preferable to excitation?”

“And you believe that the Reapers will let anyone live?” Shepard sneered.

“And that is why I never came forward with this to the Council, we organics are driven by our emotions instead of logic. We will fight even when we know we cannot win. But if we work with them, think how many lives can be spared!” Saren explained. “Once I understood this, I joined Sovereign, though I was aware of the dangers, I had hoped that this facility would protect me.”

“You are no better than the Salarians you let Sovereign indoctrinate,” She told him. “Once he has used you for his own gain you will be cast aside like trash.”

“My saving grace as it were, is that I am still in control of my own mind.” Saren growled. “For now, Sovereign needs me to find the conduit. I will not let the subtle transformation from ally to servant happen to me. The Conduit is the key to your destruction and my salvation. Sovereign needs my help to find it and that is the only reason I have not yet been indoctrinated.”

“You ARE indoctrinated!” She yelled at him, “Listen to yourself Saren! You are his puppet, obeying the pulls and tugs on your strings.”

“No!” Saren snarled. “Sovereign needs me. I’ve been promised a reprieve from the inevitable if I find the conduit. This is my only hope.”

“Listen to yourself!” Shepard snarled back, “Bow down and accept our fate? Let the Reapers kill us? You’re tell me his words! His commands! You aren’t yourself anymore, I know that and deep down you do too!” She yelled. “Humans are not going to just lay down and let someone else tell them what to do, nor will they be enslaved or die without a fight. And if what I know of your kind is true you’re fellow Turians will not die without a fight either, nor the Asari or the Salarians! We will fight and somehow Destroy the Reapers.”

“I no longer believe that Shepard.” Saren stated shaking his head. “The visions cannot be denied; the Reapers are too powerful and the only hope of survival is to join with them.” he said.

“You were sworn to defend the galaxy from this kind of threat! you were a Spectre! The Council’s BEST. And you broke your vow to save your own skin.” She growled.

“My way is the only way anyone survives but as you would undo my work, you must die!” Saren snarled and he opened fire on her cover.

“Never!” Shepard snarled charging Saren through the multiple shots as she opened fire with the rounds left in her gun, before she threw it at him, using his second of distraction to knock him off the hover board he had been stood on and delivered a powerful left hook to his face. “Come on!!”

“She’s pissed.” Wrex winced as Liara finished her work.

“She’s hurt!” Liara paled, “Her left side!” she added and Wrex saw the scarlet stain on the commander’s armour.

“Shit.” He cursed trying to get a good shot only to have the two leave his scope site behind some crates. “Fuck.” 

Shepard gasped as Saren’s hand found her throat and he lifted her off the floor and over the edge of the tower. “Good Bye, Shepard.”

“Fuck you.” She snarled, then heard the alarms starting to go off and Saren looked away from her, giving her the time to snatch Fang from her armour and drive the blade into his arm, forcing him to release her as he staggered back. 

“Wretched Organic!” he snarled.

“You’re Organic Saren!” She told him, “No matter what that thing does to you, your heart is muscle and blood just like mine! You’re worthless to the Reapers when this is over and you will die like the others that fell for the promise of life before you.”

“Shepard!!” Garrus’s yell cut through the air as the Normandy flew overhead and Saran was forced to retreat from the weapons fire from Wrex and Liara.

“Roll Call!” She snarled as Garrus helped her back to her feet. “Sound off!”

“We got them and the others, we have to go now!” Garrus yelled over the engines of the Normandy. 

“Alenko?” She asked, hoping that just maybe that could pick him up too, “Did you get Alenko?!”

“I’m sorry Commander,” Nihlus said as the doors slid shut behind them and Joker punched the engines, yelling for everyone to hang on.

She growled looked back out the small window as the bomb went off. “Damn it all…” she cursed punching the panel beside her, faintly hearing Ash sniff somewhere behind her, trying to hold back the tears. “Ashley.”

“Yes ma’am?” Ashley said trying to stand tall and to attention only to gasp as Shepard pulled her into a tight hug.

It was enough and the Normandy soon echoed with broken hearted sobs as Shepard held the other woman, letting her cry it out as she stood, ignoring the pains in her own body and the forming bruises on her neck as she waited for the tears to stop.

Chakwas didn’t scald her as she tended her side and Nihlus didn’t stop her going down to the cargo hold again when sleep refused to find her. Wrex retired to their bunks while she and Garrus stayed up.

It was Liara who found them late that evening with Tali, Garrus bending and weaving as Shepard came at him both panting heavily as they moved around each other, throwing punches and kicks in an intense sparring match. 

She waited, not wanting to interrupt them, seeing the scared skin on Shepard’s arms and shoulders shining with sweat as she moved, Garrus’s mandibles tight to his jaw, only twitching in a tell-tale tremble to show he was focusing his breathing to keep his body from overheating while they sparred.

Eventually Shepard swept Garrus’s legs and firmly pinned him with a foot to his chest and dazed, he went limp under her. “I yield.” He breathed and Shepard let him up, offering him her hand as he sat up. 

“Where did you learn to fight Turians?” Tali asked, “You hardly seem to take time to see what they’re doing before you attack.”

“Jade introduced me to a Privet during a joint mission back when I first started with the Everfree, we got to talking and he mentioned he’d never seen a human beat a Turian since they played by the Alliance rule books. Jade said I didn’t and he asked for a match, seven rounds later he was on his ass and Jade had won a few hundred credits.” Shepard explained, handing Garrus a cool bottle of water as she used a towel to wipe the sweat away from her skin.

“And you’ve been on every challenge since then?” Garrus asked using the water from the bottle to soak his face and neck.

“Almost all, I missed the one just after Akuze. But I made up for it when I got back on my feet, as you know.” She chuckled and Garrus nodded. “Something wrong?” she asked at last and Liara stepped forwards.

“I didn’t want to interrupt.” She admitted as Shepard dapped her face dry. “But maybe, I have a way to find the Conduit.” 

Shepard looked up, “Tell me more.”

“As you know I am an expert in Protheans, perhaps by joining our minds as you did with Shiala, we can make sense of everything you have been shown and uncover where the Conduit.” Liara offered.

“You’re sure?” Shepard asked, “it’s not pleasant.”

“If it helps you stop Saren, I can handle it.” Liara assured.

Shepard nodded, “Ok Liara, do it.” She said forcing herself to relax and let the images flow in her mind again as Liara looked into her eyes.

Screaming, fear, pain, white hot burning, terrible sensations that ripped and bit at the skin, burning the eyes with horrid sights until it came to a stop and Shepard staggered back into Garrus as he caught her, Tali catching Liara before she could fall and helped the Asari sit down on a bench to regain her composure.

“What did you get?” Shepard asked.

“It’s a distress call. A- a message sent out across the Prothean Empire.” Liara trembled, “A warning about the Reapers that came too late. But those places, those locations, I… I recognize them,” She admitted frantically trying to think straight after such a graphic torrent of images. “Ilos! The Conduit is on Ilos! That’s why Saren needed the Mu Relay-Oh!”

“Steady,” Tali urged gently.

“Go rest Liara, I need to go speak with the Council.” Shepard said, leaning on Garrus as she tried to stand up on shaky legs.

She didn’t make it to the comms room, her stomach refused to be ignored any longer and instead, she ended up in the wash room, clinging to the toilet as her body rejected everything she had eaten that day.

She pretended she didn’t hear the door open as she finished emptying her stomach again. “I don’t think I’ll ever get use to that…”

“Udina wants us to go back to the Citadel, the Council is massing a joint-species fleet to deal with Saren and his Geth.” Nihlus explained offering her a towel and glass of water.

“About fucking time.” She said, “I want the Normandy at the head of that Fleet, but first, I have a promise to keep to Benjamin and if I’m going to Ilos, I need to know he is safe.” She added and sipped her water. “And we’re low of Turian friendly foods, medical supplies and other things, so look at it as a restock before we go hunting Saren again.”

“Do you really think that?” Nihlus asked her.

Shepard sighed leaning against the wall as she held the glass in her hands. “I don’t want to think it was a lie about the fleet, but I know Udina isn’t going to let me go in there and speak freely.” She shook her head, “I need the Council to believe what I’m saying and if that means I have to go stand and yell at them or even ask Tevos to share minds with me, I will. Might need a bucket when that’s over with but hell, if it gets them to believe me I’ll do it.”

“And if that still doesn’t work?” Nihlus asked.

“Then they can stuff the spectre status up their asses and call me a traitor while I go after Saren myself.” She said taking another long drink. “Thank you.” She added.


	5. Once

Chapter 5  
Once.

“Shepard?” 

“Yes Liara?” Shepard asked as she poked her head out of the shower.

“Oh!” Liara sand and quickly turned away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Shepard chuckled. “No big deal,” She said having seen the deep blush on Liara’s face before she could turn away, “I use to talk with Jade and Jennie when we were in the showers. What can I do for you?” She asked.

“I, I wanted to ask you something that has been on my mind recently.” Liara admitted. “I just… I wasn’t sure if it was just me or if it was something else.”

Shepard smiled, “As attractive and sweet as you are, Liara, I doubt you’d be truly happy with me.” She said.

“You knew?” Liara asked.

“Between the staring, the nervous shuffling and wringing of your hands and the fussing when I get hurt, it wasn’t hard to work out.” Shepard admitted, “And maybe in another life time, I’d be willing to try and make something between us.”

“So, there is something between us?” Liara asked hopefully, “You do feel something for me?”

“Liara, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you, by Asari standings you’ve hardly even started to bloom into a woman yet and when you do, you will be the envy of every Asari around you.” She told her, smiling softly. “But I’m already over a quarter century old, mentally unstable and could kill you will one move if I relapse. I can’t put you through that Liara, I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt you because of my own flaws.”

Liara bowed her head, a frown on her face as she spoke. “I see, you think I can’t handle the joining with you?”

“It’s not the joining that worries me Liara.” Shepard sighed shaking her head, “But if you want to see that side of me so bad, look at me.” 

Liara looked up and after a moment of looking into Shepard’s eyes, she was-

Earth, this was earth. Shepard was only small, five years old maybe, surrounded by other children, all different ages, huddling together in cold ally ways and on roof tops, loitering around the outside of warm shops just trying to stay warm in the snow.

Breaking in to shops steal food just to live, wrapping up in old rags and rubbish bags to try and stay warm in the cold snowy years. The violence that always seemed to start when they moved cities, when they tried to find safe places to sleep, Shepard was never alone now, she always lead around by a boy, always right at his side, helped along by him when she got tired, safely held in his arms when it was cold.

The feeling of safety, of belonging, it was almost heart-warming.

Suddenly, it all changed and rapidly Liara saw Shepard struggling with such violence beneath the boy she had once felt safe with, scared, screaming and cursing as the boy laughed and tried to squeeze the life out of her throat. There was a flash of silver and the boy fell to the flood, clutching the gushing injury to his neck as Shepard ran, clutching the broken metal that had saved her life.

She made it into a knife and the killing kept happening, whenever boys got too close to her, she’d attack, cutting them deep and sometimes beating them until she had no choice but to run. she ran for days until an older girl, dressed in a red skirt with a warm blanket had caught her and brought her to a real house, given her real food and introduced her to a better life, a life she’d never known possible on the Streets.

Shepard refused to open up there, she was cold, harsh, snappish, unfeeling, unloved, so unlike the woman she was now.

She ran away from that place, she didn’t like it and she joined up with another Gang, a gang that treated her well, but she didn’t get close to anyone there, she didn’t let any man close and she buried herself in the needs of the younger members of the gang, stealing food, clothes, medicine, anything that was needed for the younger ones.

There was blood of her hands, blood that would never wash away, Liara could see that now, the blood was still there, splattered across her face and chest and her eyes were cold, unfocused and hazed, blocking any one from trying to see inside her.

This wasn’t Shepard. This woman before her wasn’t the woman Liara saw in these memories.

“How? Why?” Liara asked, shaking as she leant heavily against the wall.

“Wolf Pack Gang Member Runt,” Shepard said, turning the shower off and wrapping herself in the thick towel. “That’s who I was, who I am under all this Alliance bullshit, that girl would have kept growing up in violence and bloodshed if I hadn’t signed up at eighteen. That is who I am, Liara, who I really am nothing will ever change that. No amount of running away, drinking, masking or pretending I do will erase her, I will always be Runt. And Runt isn’t the woman you deserve to be tied to.”

“I- I’m sorry Shepard.” Liara breathed in apology, “I- I thought you doubted me. I thought you…” She panted. “How do you keep that inside?”

“With difficulty.” Shepard admitted, moving to pick up her knife. “Fang is the only reason Runt is still there, the side of me that hasn’t faced the punishment for twenty-two murders, three hundred robberies, ten minor arsons and countless car jackings. But one day I will bury Fang, somewhere far away where no one can ever find him, somewhere nice and peaceful and high up to give Runt a nice view of the sunset and sunrise.”

“What if you don’t find a place?” Liara asked.

“Then I will leave it in my will for Fang to be buried on the highest mountain of Earth.” Shepard said. “And I will be placed in the Swan Gardens on Earth, next to Jade and the memorial for the Everfree on Earth.” 

“Swan Gardens?” Liara asked.

“It’s the park I signed up at on earth, where I first met Jade and Jennie. I’d never seen a swan before then,” Shepard admitted, “Jade’s body was buried there and the crew of the Everfree who died on Akuze were all given memorial head stones around the Everfree memorial. There’s a space between Jennie and Jade’s head stones, just big enough for one more body.”

“Is that your wish?” Liara asked. “to be placed between them?”

Shepard nodded. “I should have been put there when Akuze happened.” She sighed.

“Then… if it happens that you die on this mission,” Liara began, “I will make sure you have your wish. I promise you will be placed between Jade and Jennie.”

“Thank you, Liara.” Shepard smiled. “And trust me, you’ll find someone worthy of you.”

~~~@~~~

Udina was lucky Nihlus stopped her punching him a second time. Didn’t stop her cursing him to the pits of hell and back though, or the explosion of insults and very real threats of further pains that and even Councillor Sparatus stepped back at her tone. 

He’d had no choice but to ask Wrex to take her back to the Normandy before she killed someone though the news of her attack on Udina spread like wildfire through the crew, so it was no shock that when she got back to the ship and Chakwas had re-stitched the injury to her side again that many of her crew mates were applauding her.

Benjamin was waiting for her and upon seeing her rushed over and hugged her as best he could without hurting her. “Is this because you came back to see me?” he asked.

“No, not at all.” She said returning the hug, “This is because that fool is an idiot who can’t see past his own nose.” She assured gently ruffling his hair.

“Did you catch the bad guy?” Benjamin asked.

“No, not yet.” She said. “And thanks to Udina, it is likely I won’t.” She sighed.

“Udina is a jerk.” Benjamin said, “Why can’t Captain Anderson be in charge? Or Moors?” he asked.

“Because we all hate politics,” Shepard smiled softly, “Now, tell me everything I have missed.” She said.

As they talked, Shepard showed Benjamin around the Normandy, smiling as Wrex placed the ‘none friendly’ weapons into their out of reach casings and Garrus made sure his rifles were out of the way, Tali and Liara enjoyed the company as they milled around the ship, helping where they could.

Eventually Benjamin’s mother arrived to collect him for the evening and Shepard smiled softly as they left and then she sank to the floor and sighed, rubbing her face as she tried to think of some way to get back on Saren’s tail.

~“Commander, I have a message from Captain Anderson, he wants you to meet him in Flux.”~ Joker said over the comms.

She nodded. “Thank you Joker.” She said.

“Want us to come with?” Garrus asked as he and Wrex passed.

“I need one of you to stay here,” She said. “but someone to carry me home when I pass out from drinking would be nice.”

Wrex nodded and gave Garrus a friendly shove forward. “Have fun.” He smirked knowingly.

~~~@~~~

They found Anderson sat at the table, he smiled as she joined him. “I tried to get a message to you before you docked, Shepard. But it seems my signals were being watched.” The older man sighed. “I’m sorry Shepard.” He added pouring her a drink.

“They grounded her and now they think we can just sit and do nothing.” She sighed and emptied her glass. “I need to get out of here Anderson.” She said.

“I know, but that won’t be easy.” The Captain said, “I can get the Normandy’s systems back on line, but I need you back on board her when she’s ready.” Anderson smiled. “I’ll remove the lock down on your ship and you get lost in the stars before anyone knows you’re gone.” He said.

“They’ll lock you up for that.” Shepard said.

“Oh, I can only do that if he gets caught on camera,” A tri-fingers hand landed on Shepard’s shoulder. “I heard you giving the Council the shock of their lives all the way in my office.” Pallin chuckled.

“He pissed me off.” She smirked, realising she knew many faces in Flux suddenly and they knew her. “Am I missing a pack reunion?”

“Someone has to help me keep this place safe if the shit hits the fan.” Anderson said. “And Pallin can’t hack the system with so many people on duty around his office, coming and going.” He added.

“Oh-ho-ho, Pallin. Have I finally turned you into a law breaker?” Shepard laughed and Pallin huffed. “I owe you another bottle of the finest.” She said.

“Just make sure no one tracks this back to me.” The C-sec chief smiled, “And make sure Udina doesn’t bother me for at least a month.” He added before slipping away, and shortly after him, the familiar faces around her began to vanish too, slipping away to cause trouble in the Citadel to buy her the needed time.

“Thank you, Anderson.” Shepard smiled heading away from the bar and back towards the ship, once in one of the elevators she looked to Garrus. “Are you sure you want to come with me?”

“I joined you to make sure Saren paid for what he has done, Shepard. I’m not jumping ship now just because this mission’s gotten a little dangerous.” The Turian assured. “I’ll follow you to the end of this mission, and beyond.” He added.

“Thank you Garrus.”

“Hey, we joined you because you gave us hope that we can end this attack before it gets worse and you still give us hope that we can do that. Anyone that can’t see that is blind, stupid or both.” He said and smiled as the Commander chuckled.

“Then I hope I can live up to it.” She smiled. “And please, call me Marie. Sometimes I like to be reminded of my first name.” she said.

“You will.” Garrus assured and smiled. “In that case, I’ll use your first name more often.”

Nihlus smiled as he watched Shepard and Garrus arrive back at the Normandy.

“You’re staying?” She asked.

“Someone has to protect the council if this goes ass over as the humans say.” He smiled. “But if you need anything, comm.” He added offering her his hand.

“Take care of yourself Nihlus.” Shepard said taking his hand.

“You too.” The older Spectre nodded. “I’ll watch for you.”

“Keep Benjamin and his mother safe.” Shepard told him as the doors to the Normandy shut.

Nihlus nodded and headed away from the Normandy, skilfully by passing the sudden surge of trouble in the busy walk ways and surge in petty crimes, while settling down on a bench with a kind nod to Mrs Jennix and her son as they sat enjoying a small break.

The alarms went off around him as the Normandy pulled away and Nihlus smiled. “Good luck Shepard.”

~ “You were part of this mess. Weren’t you?!” ~ Councillor Sparatus snarled into his ear over the comms.

“Sorry Sparatus but I’m afraid I can’t help you, I’m retired.” Nihlus said, “I have no idea what you are talking about or why you are even calling me.” He added and the threw the comm device into the water with a smile. 

Maybe there was something of Shepard’s attitude that had rubbed off on him.

~~~@~~~

“Marie?” Garrus asked with a confused blink.

“Yes Garrus?” she asked blinking back at him.

“Why are you hanging upside down?” Garrus asked as she looked at him from the beam above the Mako.

“Working out.” She answered. “Pull ups when upside down is meant to help blood rush to your brain, so you think more apparently.” 

“Does it work?” Garrus asked.

“No.” Shepard chuckled, “But it makes Chakwas fuss like a mother hen, so I do it.”

“Is that wise?”

“I can’t always be the good Commander.” She told him, “like you’ve always been a Good Turian.”

Garrus chuckled, “I was, and then I joined you and your crew.”

“Is that regret I hear in your voice?” she asked and he shook his head.

“I told you, I’d follow you to the ned of this mission and beyond and I meant it.” he assured, “Though you may have to explain a few thigs to me before I get it, I’ve been told I’m a slow learner.”

“You learnt when to keep your mouth shut quick enough, and you were quick to learn I like raspberries over strawberries.” She pointed out.

“C-Sec training.” He shrugged, “I learnt a lot just by watching you really.”

“Oh?” She asked, “You’re good, I haven’t caught you staring at me yet.” 

“Never needed to.” Garrus smiled, “You stand still when you talk to someone and if its someone you like talking too or someone you enjoy the company of you relax and keep your attention on them, though you always keep an awareness of who else is around you. When you talk to people you don’t like or enjoy the company of, you look for ways to get out of the talks, even lie to get away.”

Shepard smiled. “And?”

“You people watch, a habit I noticed when you sit in the galley, you also favour your right side when preforming daily tasks, but you are ambidextrous. You have a twitch to your right eye and you often rub your face to try and hide it.” Garrus said, “You also hum Auld Lang Syne when you think no one is listening.”

“Very good,” Shepard chuckled, “not even Liara knew that one.”

“Liara’s been studying you?” Garrus asked.

“Yep, Wrex and Tali too.” Shepard smiled, “But Liara was the most fun. She gets all flustered when I catch her.”

“Why? I mean I know she’s not had a long time around humans, but its normal for Asari to study new people and places when they arrive.” Garrus smiled.

“I know, but I think Liara’s worried she’d be seen a rude for staring,” She explained and at last she came down from the bar and took the offered bottle of water from Garrus. “So, are you ready to go and face impossible odds and bring this threat to its end?”

He nodded, straightening his back and saluting. “Aye-Aye Commander.” He said and Sheppard shoved his shoulder.

“I told you, call me Marie.”

“Ah.” Garrus chuckled and nodded. “Aye-Aye Marie.”

~~~@~~~

Pallin smiled as Anderson came into his office, the sudden crimes had stopped as suddenly as they began and while some of his officers were confused, he’d noticed many of them had been easily subdued by the troublemakers, as if they had been waiting for the attention.

“Are all her old friends here?” He asked.

“Only those who are retired.” Anderson nodded, “the Wolf Pack reached the Citadel first of all the Earth gangs, so when the Reds tried to move in they met a very large number of Wolves and with Shepard’s help, you were able to remove them before they got a foot hold. Ther are also some Wolves on Omega.”

“Remind me why I don’t throw the Wolf Pack off this station?” Palin asked.

“Because the Wolf Pack Gang isn’t just another Gang, it’s an organization that has its hands in almost every Interspecies poll, politic argument and multi-species colony out there.” Anderson smiled, “trying to get rid of them is like trying to get rid of the common cold.”

Pallin sighed. “How did Shepard get out of that life?”

“Technically, she didn’t.” Anderson stated. “Until she gets married, dies or gets her howl tattoo to mark her retirement, she’s still a Wolf.”

~~~@~~~

“So, we go in, kill Geth, stop Saren and then we go back and face a yelling at from the council?” Ashley asked.

“Basically.” Shepard nodded. “Hope you all have your life insurance paid up.”

“Joy.” Joker sighed. “Oh, we got company out there.” He added as they reached Ilos.

“Saren’s whole army is here.” Tali said looking around at the huge ships outside.

“Get us in a close as you can Joker then drop us in the Mako.” Shepard said.

“You need at least a hundred meters of open terrain to pull off a drop like that, the most I can find is twenty.” Presley stated from his consul.

“Twenty meters? No way you can make it, there has to be another way.” Ash stated.

“We don’t have time to find another way,” Liara remarked. “We have no choice.”

“It’s a suicide run!” Ashley proclaimed.

“I can do it.” Joker assured. “And the ride should be just like the Roller Coaster rides at the fair, just hand on tight and keep your arms and hand inside the ride.”

“Garrus, Liara gear up and get to the Mako, Joker drop us on that bastard’s head.” Shepard said.

“Aye, aye ma’am.” Joker nodded.

“I want weapons hot and ready just in case the Geth ships spot us.” Shepard added as they headed down to the Mako.

~“Strap in tight, it’s gonna be a rocky road down.”~ Joker warned.

Shepard gripped the seat arms as the Mako was released, groaning as the vehicle rocked and shook uncomfortably, she spotted Saren and growled as he was covered by a thick bunker door just seconds before the Mako landed heavily on the ground of Ilos.

“Son of a bitch!” She cursed. “You two ok?”

“Yes- yes I’m ok…” Liara stated though she looked a paler shade of blue than normal.

“Garrus?”

“Ask me again in a moment.” The Turian groaned. “You humans have rides that do that for fun?” he asked.

“Roller coasters yes.” Shepard smiled taking her guns out and opening the hatch to the Mako. “Now, let’s get this show rolling before Saren fucks the universe up.”

“Aye, Aye Ma’am.”

“Brute force won’t get us inside, maybe we can find a console?” Liara said then ducked behind the Mako as shots rang out around them. “Goddess!”

“Geth.” Shepard growled.

“Never easy, is it?” Garrus asked with a smile.

“Life would be boring otherwise,” Shepard smiled. “Lock and load!”

“Right behind you!”

~~~@~~~

He could sense others here now…

But they had no ill will about them… no taint of hint of the horrid indoctrination of those others.

Perhaps it was time he passed on all he could to this new generation to allow them to break this cycle.

~~~@~~~

“Who votes we take the Mako into the creepy underground bunker?” Liara asked.

“Fire power will come in handy, who knows how many more Geth are down there.” Garrus said as they climbed back into the Mako before heading into the bunker.

“I have studied Protheans all my life but, never did I think that this place would be so, so,” Liara said, struggling to find words as she looked around. “This may have been their last refuge, there is so much to learn here.”

“What are those things on the walls?” Garrus asked. “They look like some kind of containers?”

“They could be stasis pods, they may have tried to wait it out in Cryogenic freezing, but it seems that their refuge became their tomb.” Liara stated.

“Geth.” Shepard stated as she veered to avoid a missile. “Lots of Geth.” She added growling, then slammed on the breaks. “What the hell?” she asked as the Mako touched a large orange barrier that blocked their path.

“Ambush.” Garrus suggested as they dealt with the Geth. But after a few minutes, no grand attack came, Shepard dared to step out.

“Come on.” She said heading down an open corridor near the barrier and found an elevator waiting for them.

“What do you think we will find down there?” Liara asked.

“Whatever it is, we should be careful.” Garrus suggested as they began their decent. At the bottom there was a long platform and with a single console at the end, the walls were covered in Stasis pods.

“Marie?” Garrus asked as she walked towards it, just as a strange orange form activated and hovered before them, static distorting the image. “Some kind of Vi? Badly damaged.” 

“Liara can you fix it?” Shepard asked only to stop as the VI made a strange sound and then words came from it.

“You are neither Prothean nor Machine. This eventuality was one of many that was anticipated and why we sent out warning through the beacons.” It stated sounding almost pleased. “Unlike the other that passed recently, you have not been indoctrinated. Perhaps there is still hope.”

“How is it we can understand you?” Liara asked.

“I have been monitoring your communications, since you arrived at this facility. I have translated my output into format you will comprehend. My name is Vigil and for now you are safe, but soon, nowhere will be safe.” Vigil explained. “At the apex of our race, the beacons that lead you here spanned the breadth of our empire, we used them as a single galaxy wide network to transmit data and communications rapidly from world to world. But virtually all of them were destroyed in the invasion of the Reapers.”

“So are you an Artificial intelligence program?” Shepard asked.

“I am an advanced non-organic analysis system with personality implants from Ksad Ishan, chief overseer if the Ilos research facility. You must break a cycle that has continued for millions of years, but to stop it you must understand or you will make the same mistakes we did.” Vigil explained. “The Citadel is the heart of your civilization, the seat of your government. As it was with us and all who came before us. The Citadel is a trap. It is an enormous Mass Relay one that links into Dark Space, the empty void beyond the horizon of the galaxy when it is activated, the reapers will pour through, and all you know will be destroyed.”

“How can no one have noticed the Citadel is an inactive mass relay?” Shepard asked.

“The Reapers created a species of seemingly benign caretakers they maintain the station’s most basic functions. They enable others to use the citadel without fully understanding it, until it is too late.”

“But Dark Space is harsher than anywhere known, how are the Reapers able to survive out there?” Shepard asked.

“We have only our theories. The researches here came to believe that they entered a prolonged state of inactivity to conserve their energy, allowing them to survive the thousands and thousands of years it takes for Organic civilization to rebuild itself, but in this state, they are vulnerable.”

“If Saren turned on the relay, then the whole Citadel fleet and Council will be wiped out.” Garrus stated.

“That was our fate.” Vigil stated. “Our leaders were dead before we even realized we were under attack. They seized control of the Citadel and through it all the Mass relays. Cutting each star system off from the others, easy pray for the Reaper Fleets. Over the decades they wiped us out.”

“Some of you must have survived,” Shepard stated. “All these pods.”

“Though the Citadel, they had access to all our records, maps and census data. Information is power and they knew everything about us, they advanced across every settled region of the galaxy, some worlds were utterly destroyed, others were conquered, their populations enslaved. These indoctrinated servants became sleeper agents for the reapers, taken in as refugees by others they betrayed them to the machines and within only a few centuries they had killed or enslaved every Prothean in the Galaxy, they were relentless, brutal and absolutely thorough.”

“And after they had conquered your people?” Liara asked.

“When they had finished stripping our worlds bare of everything of value, by their indoctrinated slaves, they returned to Dark Space sealing the Citadel relay behind them.” Vigil explained. “Only their indoctrinated slaves were left behind, abandoned, soon they starved or died of exposure and the genocide of the Protheans was complete.”

“What do they get out of this, why repeat the pattern over and over again?” Liara asked. “I do not understand.”

“The Reapers are unknowable. Alien. Perhaps they need slaves or resources. More likely they are driven by motives and goals organic beings cannot hope to comprehend.” Vigil stated. “In the end, what does it matter, your survival depends on stopping them, not in understanding them.”

“Tell me what I need to do.” Shepard stated.

“The Conduit is the key,” Vigil said. “Before the attack, we Protheans were on the cusp of understanding and unlocking the mysteries behind Mass Relay Technology. Ilos was a top secrete facility. Here researchers worked to create a small scale version of the relay one that liked directly to the citadel the hub of the network.”

“A back door to the Citadel.” Liara realized. “But how did you manage to stay hidden?” She asked.

“All official records of our projects were destroyed in the initial attack on the Citadel. While the Prothean Empire came crashing down Ilos was spared. We severed all communication with the outside and went dark, the personnel retreated underground into these archives, to conserve resources, everyone was put into Cryogenic stasis, I was programmed to monitor the facility and wake the staff when the danger had passed.”

“Did anyone last beyond the invasion,” Shepard asked looking around. “Is there anyone here now?”

“I was able to safe Key personnel. When the Reapers retreated the top researchers were still alive, my actions are the only reason any hope remains. When they awake, they realized that the Prothean species was doomed, there were only a dozen individuals left, far too few to sustain a viable population. Yet they vowed to find some way to stop the reapers from returning and away to break the cycle forever. They knew the keepers were the key, before each invasion, a signal is sent through the station compelling the keepers to activate the Citadel Relay. After decades of study, the scientists discovered a way to alter the signal, using the Conduit they gained access to the Citadel and made the modifications. This time, when Sovereign sent the signal to the Citadel, the keepers ignored it and left the Reapers trapped in Dark Space. The survivors also decided to risk sending out a message, we did not understand the power of indoctrination, nor realize that our message could lead an agent of the Machines like Saren to us, but it has also brought you here, so perhaps we did not fail after all.”

“Saren can use the conduit to bypass the external defences of the Citadel.” Shepard realized.

“And once inside, he can transfer control of the station to Sovereign.” Garrus said.

“Sovereign will override the Citadel’s systems and manually open the relay. And the cycle of extinction will begin again.” Vigil ended.

“Is there any way we can stop them?” Shepard asked.

“There is a data file in my console, take a copy when you go. When you reach the Master control unit in the citadel, upload it into the station. It will corrupt the Citadel’s security protocol and give you temporary control over the station. It may give you a chance against Sovereign.” Vigil stated. “Saren will lead you to your destination.”

“What happened to the survivors of the Conduit project?” Shepard asked.

“They used the Conduit to gain access to the citadel, but it is only a prototype, the portal only goes one way, so they were trapped on the station. I do not know what became of them beyond that, it is unlikely that they found any food or water on the station, I fear they suffered a slow, grim death.” Vigil stated and Shepard was sure she heard sadness in his words. “I only know that they succeeded in their mission to seal the relay. Your presence here proves their sacrifice was not in vain.”

Liara looked to Shepard and then to Vigil. “Is there no way to save you?” she asked.

“I can no longer preform my duties to the researchers, beyond this conversation I am no use to anyone.” Vigil stated.

“I’m sorry Liara.” Shepard said, “Grab the data file and let’s go.”

“The one you call Saren has not yet reached the Conduit, not yet.” Vigil said, “There is still hope, if you hurry.” He added as they download the file.

“Saren has enough of a head start.” Shepard said. “Thank you Vigil.”

~~~@~~~

Benjamin laughed as he ran around with other children while their parents kept watch on them. Madam Amber Ruby continued to latest talk on better care for Biotics who were NOT Asari by birth, and how to properly train them in a calm and controlled environment.

Anderson was sat watching the comms, while Pallin took a much-needed break from paper work to enjoy a meal.

Then all hell broke loose, shots struck the inner arms of the Citadel, rocking the station as ships were also hit.

“Activate the defences! Seal the station!”

“The arms aren’t moving, Commander! Systems not responding!” 

“Abandon the citadel! Evacuate the Council!”

“Everyone please make your way to the exits and follow the C-Sec officers to the shuttles!” Madam Ruby directed.

“Benja-argh!”

“Mummy!?”

“Follow the C-sec officers to the shuttle bays!” one officer called leading the gathered civilians away from the now raging fires.

“Citadel control do you copy?! Citadel control!”

Saren growled and matched out of the room, heading for the Council Chamber.

~~~@~~~

Shepard growled and slammed her foot down hard on the forward thrust peddle. “Hang on!” she yelled heading for the stream of blue light the conduit was giving off.

Liara tightened her seat belt and wisely covered her head as Garrus tightened everything that was loose in his seat, bracing himself as they were jerked into light speed.

And then felt impact, wincing as they were slammed and rolled around for a few seconds.

“Fuck.” Shepard winced using Fang to cut herself free of her belt. “Ohhh, that hurt!”

“Ow, ow.” Garrus groaned, helping Liara out of her seat. “You ok?”

“I think so,” She said following Shepard out the now broken window, and using a swift shove of her biotics to slowly the fast approaching husks.

“Avina!? Give me a rundown of damages and location of Saren!” Shepard called out over the fires and explosions close by.

“We have lost all pri-primary power to-to-to the level. Environmental co-co-controls are not responding. Class three fires are burning in sec-sec-sec-sectors 2, 3, 6 and 7. Civilian casualties are hi-hi-hi-high.” The blue hologram stated. “Former Spectre agen-gen-gen-gent Saren Arterius is nearing the Vicinity of the Council-cil-cil-cil Chamber. A warrant has been issued for his-is-is-is-is arrest. Though Council Security-ty-ty-ty-ty is unable to respond at this ti-ti-ti-time.”

“Thank you Avian!” Shepard said logging the console off, “Lets go, we need to get there quick!”

~~~@~~~

“Help! Help us!” Benjamin pleaded trying to break the glass open to get to his mother and others as they were trapped behind a fallen door way. “Help!!!”

“Benjamin?!” a familiar voice called as a heavily armour Turian jumped the damaged walls and landed over the boy, several C-sec officers with him.

“I can’t break the glass! My mum’s in there!! She’s hurt!” Benjamin told Nihlus, still frantically trying to break the glass.

“Stay back,” Pallin said lightly pulling the boy from the glass, shielding him as the glass was shattered and then with the help of his men he heaved the heavy broken door aside to give the trapped people room to escape. “Pull her out! Quickly!”

“Thank you!” Mrs Jennix said then gasped as a heavy explosion went off nearby. “What the hell is going on?!” she asked as Pallin worked to quickly cover the badly bleeding gun shot to her stomach.

“We don’t know the details, only that the attack apparently the work of the Geth and-”

“Look!” Benjamin cried pointing towards the arms of the Citadel and the giant ship that had just rammed a Turian ship. “What is that?!”

“Oh spirits…” Pallin gasped.

Nihlus watched in horror as Sovereign lowered himself into the Citadel Relay, and latched tightly onto the Council spire, “Where are you Shepard?” he asked.

~~~@~~~

Garrus and Shepard heaved together, pulling the door open to enter the Council Chamber.

“This place has seen better days.” Liara said noticing the damage and fires.

“It has,” Garrus said, “Geth on all sides and I’m betting Saren’s past them,” he added.

“So we make this quick and stoop him.” Liara suggested, opening fire to clear their path way as they reached the steps just in time to see Saren drop out of view. “What the?”

“Where’d he go?” Garrus asked.

Shepard looked around the end of eth platform, shoving the others aside as a flash of red caught her attention, seconds the grenade exploded and showered them in dust and debris as Saren rose up on his hover platform.

“I was afraid you won’t make it in time Shepard.” The silver Turian stated.

“In time for what?” She demanded.

“The final confrontation. I think we both expected it would end like this.” Saren stated. “You’ve lost. You know that don’t you? In a few minutes, Sovereign will have a full control of all the Citadel systems. The Relay will open and the Reapers will return.”

“I have enough tricks up my sleeve yet!” Shepard snarled.

“You survived our encounter on Virmire. But I’ve changed since then. Improved. Sovereign has upgraded me.” Saren stated.

“You let Sovereign implant you!? Are you INSANE!” She demanded, looking over the top of her cover.

“I suppose I should thank you, Shepard, after Virmire I couldn’t stop thinking about what you had said about Sovereign manipulating me, about indoctrination. The doubt you planed in me began to eat away and caused my hesitation, I was implanted to strengthen my resolve.” Saren stated. “Join us, and Sovereign will find a place for you too.” He offered.

“You utter fool!” She snarled standing from her cover, “Sovereign’s controlling you through your implants, don’t you see that?!”

“Look at me Shepard, this relationship is symbiotic, Organic and Machine intertwined, a union of flesh and steel. The strengths of both, the weaknesses of neither. I perfect vision of the future, this is our Destiny!” Saren snarled. “Join Sovereign and experience a true rebirth!”

“Sovereign hasn’t won this yet! I can stop it from taking control! Step aside and the invasion will never happen!” Shepard stated, sheathing her gun.

“We can’t stop it! Not forever.” Saren snarled at her, “You saw the visions, what happened to the Protheans. The Reapers are too powerful.”

“You can fight this! Some part of you must still see this is wrong!” She said. “You didn’t need implants to fight in the First Contact War! You didn’t need Sovereign’s help to become a Spectre! You are better than this!”

Saren’s face seemed to change at her words, the frown lost and replaced by a hazy confused look. “Maybe… You are right…? Are you? No… No! No… Maybe there is still a chance for-argh!!” he began only to clutch his head and snarl.

“Fight it!” Shepard yelled. “You don’t need Sovereign! You don’t need any of the power he gave you! You never needed it! Fight it!”

“Sovereign is too strong!” Saren said, glancing at his gun. “It’s sorry, it’s too late for me. Good bye Shepard.”

“Don’t!”

“Thank you.”

Shepard turned away as the shot echoed around the chamber, shortly followed by the sound of braking glass as Saren fell.

“Shepard?” Liara asked, seeing the Commander’s hands shaking. “Commander?” she asked again, watching Shepard shake her head.

“Marie.” Garrus said and instantly the commander looked at him, snapping out of her haze. “The data file.”

Shepard shocked her head to clear it and then nodded. “Ye- Yes.” She said, quickly imputing the file into the Master Unit, and opened the comm links channels while trying to get the Citadel arms open.

/“…This is Destiny Ascension…. Main drive offline! Barriers down 40%... The Council is on board! I repeat the Council is on board!”/

~“Normandy to the Citadel, Tell me that’s you Commander?”~ Joker called in.

“I’m here Joker,” Shepard said after a second, “Where are you?”

~“I’m sitting in the Andura Sector with the entire Arcturus Fleet, we can save the Ascension just unlock the Relays around the Citadel and we’ll send in the Cavalry.”~ Joker stated.

“Opening the Relays now.” Shepard said. “Give these bastards hell and more.” She said.

~“Aye, aye ma’am!”~

Shepard sighed softly and began to work on trying to get the arms to open.

~~~@~~~

“Listen,” A human officer called out as the radios burst to life.

~“Alliance Ships move in! Save the Destiny Ascension!”~

“That’s Admiral Hackett!” Benjamin cheered. “The Alliance is here!”

“Look, the arms are opening again!” A Turian called out from their sheltered hiding place shooting down Geth troopers that still persisted, the arms allowing them to see the Human fleet rain down on the Geth ships, protecting the Council’s Ship.

~“All ships move in! Concentrate all fire power on Sovereign!”~

~~~@~~~

“Make sure he’s dead.” Shepard said looking down to Saren’s limb body. “Steel and implants aren’t effected by bullets.” Garrus nodded, heading down into the lower garden with Liara as Shepard continued to work on the controller.

She heard a shot and felt her stomach turn slightly.

“He’s dead.” Liara said.

Red currents suddenly danced around them and Shepard felt the platform shake and buckle under the power of the current, making it creak and then snap as a powerful surge threw Liara and Garrus into the wall of the garden.

“Whoa!” Shepard gasped falling into the garden, landing heavily and painfully as she felt a hot burning at her side and back, where her guns had been, likely the surge had made them blow out. She looked towards movement and saw Liara struggling to her knees and Garrus tried to stand with the help of the wall.

Hearing a blood chilling cry of pain, she turned and saw what little flesh still remained on Saren’s body burn away to show a complete skeleton of steel and cables that acted as power sources. The Husk hissed and glared at her, charging forwards and grabbing her by the throat. 

“I am Sovereign! And this Station is MINE!!” it snarled and Shepard gasped trying to pray its hands off her neck, “A pity you humans die so easily, you might have been worth more to me if you could last against the Maws.” The creature snarled.

Shepard glared at the creature, fighting the urge to lash out wilding for that stab at her past.

“Get off her!” Liara snarled and threw something heavy at the Husk, knocking it away from Shepard with a brilliant blue glow.

“Liara!?”

“I’ve got her!” Garrus assured catching Liara from her fall. “Take that bastard out!”

She nodded, drawing out Fang from her side armour and turned to Saren’s Husk. “Foolish Human.” It snarled lunging at her again. “You will die!!”

~~~@~~~

~“Fuck, this bastard is tough!”~ A Commander cursed over the comms.

~“We’re losing men out here like FLIES! We have to pull back!!”~ Another bellowed.

~“Negative!”~ Admiral Hackett stated calmly. ~“This is our only chance. Take that monster down, no matter what the cost!”~

The ships swerved and flew close overhead, throwing dirt and dust up around the Citadel as they continued to fire on the Reaper at the centre.

“Look!” Benjamin yelled as Pallin helped his injured mother down from a high ledge. “In the Council Chamber!”

Pallin turned and watched in shock as Shepard and a Husk clashed claws against blade and fists.

“Hey! That’s Vakarian!” Another Turian yelled as he fired on the incoming Geth and Husks.

“And Aunt Shepard too!” Benjamin said ducking for cover.

“Hope and pray that they fix whatever is happening here or we’re all screwed!” Pallin said quickly ushering them to the shuttles. “Come on, the escape shuttle is this way.”

“Why do you insist on resisting the inevitable!?” the Husk snarled grappling with Shepard.

“Because I am not willing to let some Machine destroy my friends for no reason!” She snarled right back.

“Foolish human!” It snarled as they began to trade blows again, this time it gained an upper hand, cutting into Shepard’s already weakened side armour only to reel back as something sharp jammed into its chest.

“Marie?!” Garrus yelled.

She ignored him, bringing her foot up and forced the heel of her foot against Fang’s handle and forced it deeper it into the red mass of the husk’s chest, hearing it screech out in agony as it burned and melted away.

Joker watched at the Reaper Ship dislodged from the spire. ~“Its shields are down! Now’s our Chance!”~

~“Hit it with everything!”~ The Admiral ordered.

Smirking Joker nodded to himself and began to move his fingers rapidly over the flight controls. “Hard on my flank! We’re going in!”

The fleet opened fire continuingly, watching small parts of their target fall away and scatter moments before the Normandy dived, following an explosive impact that broke the Reaper ship into bits.

“Marie look out!” Garrus warned as a darkness fell over the room from the window.

“Go!” Shepard yelled. “Go!”

She pushed Garrus and Liara ahead of her as the shrapnel broke into the complex, plunging them all into dust and darkness for a time.

Ears ringing loudly and a sudden numbness made Garrus unsure of what had happened for a while, he could see Liara trying to sit up, but her legs were badly hurt a few steps from him, her left side badly burned and bleeding slightly where the fire hadn’t fully curarized the injury.

He dragged himself over and ripped the medical gel pack opened to help her as he looked around. They were trapped inside a small space between wreckage and outside they could hear the fight still going, meaning there were still Geth around. “Commander?! Shepard can you hear me?!” he yelled out. “Marie!?”

“Is she…?” Liara began to ask.

“Don’t say it.” Garrus shook his head. “She’s not dead. Help is on the way, we’ll find her…” he assured.

True to his words, help arrived minutes later, or many hours? Garrus didn’t know, his clock had stopped working and Nihlus threw some part of the wreckage away to get to them. “Anderson! Pallin! In here!” he yelled as he knelt by Liara.

Pallin and Anderson crawled into their little shelter and helped to safely dig them out and place them on makeshift stretchers. “Take it easy Vakarian, it’s over.” Pallin tried to sooth, while Garrus struggled to sit up. “Let us help you.”

“Where is the Commander?” Nihlus asked.

Liara bowed her head heavily and slowly looked towards the largest part of the structure that had fallen in on them and Garrus visibly sagged as if someone had just told him he had been removed from his family name.

Anderson dared to look over the wreckage himself, no human could survive having such a massive structure land on them…

“Sir, we can’t stay here, they need further treatment.” One cadet stated.

Reluctantly Anderson nodded and carefully helped Liara to her feet, allowing her to lean on him as they slowly made their way towards the door. Something groaned softly, making him stop and look back, scanning quickly and spotting something fall from the wreckage.

“Wait.” He said.

“Sir?” the cadet asked.

Liara turned back and caught sight of a streak of bloody blond hair bobbing in the flames and debris coming closer to them. Nihlus smiled as he heard a heavy limping sound on the metal as someone climbed up it behind them.

Garrus turned back just in time to see Shepard reach the top of a large debris heap, clutching her right side, and leaning on her left foot, her hair now loose and covering her back as blood covered her face and some of her armour, despite this, she was smiling as she carefully hopped/gracefully fell, to their level.

“So,” she asked with a smile, “Is Chakwas around?”


	6. And into the fire we go.

Chapter 6  
And into the fire we go.

Weeks later there was still a seemingly endless list of things that needed to be done. Geth and Husks to fight, wreckage to move and study, repairs to be made, people to be found. It was a huge mess and while Shepard was hurt, she refused to sit still for a minute and heal, she’d go to search sights and help look for the missing people with Garrus, Wrex and Liara, while Tali helped Ashley and many others with keeping the masses feed as they were found and went out searching for more survivors.

Many were surprises that Drell, Quarians and even some Krogan came to aid the Citadel repair and rebuild, though when some Volus said it was a show to try and gain a Drell or Quarian Councillor in the ruins of the attack, Madam Kirana, Madam Ruby and Commander Shepard spoke up and showed each Drell and Quarian helping to repair and rebuild the Citadel were all part of an effort founded by the Interspecies G.O.A. foundation Amber Ruby’s family had started.

Needles sto say, the Council had to deal with a few very unhappy reports and complaints until they publicly reminded everyone that only one Race had been added to the Council ranks, but Shepard refused to even hear Udina’s attempts to sweet talk her to choosing someone when there was work to be done and before anyone could stop her she had kicked him off the edge of a broken wall into the lake. 

“I have always wanted to do that.” She admitted dusting her hands off.

“I am never letting you near me around water again.” Nihlus called down from his place above them, helping Pallin fix a section of the wall.

“Like you’ve never wanted to do that?” She called back up before heading off to help with other areas of rebuild.

It was through those long days and endless hours looking for people lost in the damages that the Council saw a side of the Humans they hadn’t before, a mindset that put the Asari’s to shame as they used their Biotics to heave and move the largest wreckages, they would allow others the climb up and over them to reach areas, forming robes and ladders with their own Bodies to help children climb out of pits or deep holes that they’d been trapped in. Shepard would jump into the unknown with little more than a flash light and her knife to fight the lingering Husks and Geth when they attacked the cowering survivors.

Wrex soon had the Krogan who had come to help working to clear out the worse of the wreckage with the help of Garrus and Nihlus, Benjamin even lent a helping hand by climbing up the walls and crawling through gaps, reporting back over the comms to Wrex, Garrus and Pallin what he found.

Tali and her fellow Quarians were able to put some scraps to good use, making pully systems and counter weights to help heave the worse of the damages out of the way and telling stories to the young children who were still waiting for their parents to be found in the wreckage. After a long three months, the Citadel was in a far better state of repair then it had been after the attack and people of all races were at last able to leave and come without relying on others to get them from place to place and a small amount of calm returned to the Citadel.

“Shepard.” Wrex said and Shepard smiled as he grabbed her arm in a tight hold. “You ever need my help with anything again, come by Tuchanka and find me.” He chuckled. “Impress my Sharman and you’ll have the whole Clan at your aid.”

“Thank you Wrex.” She nodded, “Try not to get yourself killed.”

Wrex laughed and nodded. “You too Shepard.” he smiled as he left.

“Bye Wrex!” Benjamin yelled as he waved the Krogan goodbye from his place with Garrus and Nihlus, helping repaint the walls.

“Commander Marie Jane Shepard.” 

“Yes Anderson?” She asked, seeing the Council with him and Udina, though she noticed Udina stayed well out of her reach this time. “What can I do for you?”

“As the Saviour of the Citadel and the First Human Spectre, it seemed only fair that you be the one to choose who will take Humanities place as Councillor.” Councillor Tevos explained. 

“Anderson.” She said without needing much thought. “I would have thought that obvious.” She added.

“It was, but we still had to hear it from you.” Councillor Verlan nodded. “And what will you do now?” he asked.

“Did you all miss the part of my report that said there were more Reapers in Dark Space?” She asked, “Once I have word that Joker is able to go and everyone had said good bye, I’m going back out to find them and stop them.”

“And if there are no ways to stop them?” Councillor Sparatus asked. “Not even you can fight a war alone.”

“I didn’t need an army to find Sovereign.” She pointed out. “I just need to find a way to kill them and if that means I have to go off into the Dark reaches alone while you and the rest of the Galaxy hide from the issue, so be it.” And with that Shepard walked away.

She stopped as she found Tali, helping pack up her things and clean out her foot locker from the Normandy. 

“You’re leaving?” Shepard asked and Tali nodded, though she wrung her hands together.

“The threat of Saren is over and as much as I love the Normandy and her crew, I have to complete my Pilgrimage at some point,” She explained, “Thank you for everything Shepard, I will never forget the things I have learnt on the Normandy or from you.”

“If you ever need my help, no matter what happens, or what’s going on, comm me.” Shepard smiled. “If you hadn’t helped us, we might not have found this.” She added typing on her omni tool for a moment. “Everything we found and learnt on the Geth, it may not be much, but it should help your people find some way of keeping them at bay if they show up while on pilgrimages.”

Tali smiled and nodded, “Thank you Commander.” She said again though she shifted on her feet for a moment, stumbling and stuttering on her words. “Shepard, I…”

Shepard chuckled and opened her arms, “Come here.” She smiled and hugged Tali as the Quarian trembled slightly, “Hey, no crying, you’ll fog your mask up.” She told her with a gentle pat to the Quarian’s back.

“I will miss you Shepard, you’ve taught me so much… I will never forget this.” The Quarian assured with a sniffle in her mask. “Thank you.”

“You are always welcome in my crew if you ever need a place to go Tali.” She smiled. “and who knows, maybe one day we can find a way to help your fleet live without the worry of ships breaking down on them.”

~~~@~~~

“Are you sure you want to leave now Commander?” Liara asked, “Garrus might still join us.”

“Garrus is staying with C-Sec,” Shepard sighed. “Something about his father showing up and needing to talk with him.” She added carefully choosing their next destination. “Joker, stake us out.”

“Aye Commander, leaving Citadel docks.” Joker assured and Shepard sighed looking out the ship window to see the Citadel pass by.

“Where are we going?” Ashely asked. 

“We start with the Protheans.” Shepard said turning to face them both, “We have the data from Virgil and we have a base line of where the Protheans were. We search what we can find of their remains, we find what we can about them and try to figure out how to stop the rest of the Reapers in Dark Space coming through.”

“Aye-aye Ma’am.” Ashley smiled.

~~~@~~~

“Not staying with her?” Pallin asked as Garrus watched the Normandy take off.

“There still work to do here.” Garrus told him, carefully packing boxes of blankets, food and drink into the transporter. “Plus, I doubt everyone would be happy to see me going around with a human, given how much he hated the idea of me going off with her in the first place.” He added with a glare over her his shoulder that lasted only a second but was there and Pallin realized that there was another Vakarian in the area.

“You two still haven’t started talking have you?” Pallin asked.

“He wanted me to join C-Sec I did, he wanted me to bring a criminal to justice, I was seconds from doing so and he let the guy walk because he didn’t like the way I got the guy arrested. Two years of my work ruined because he wanted everything to be perfect and not risk my work tarnishing his damn name. so no Pallin, we aren’t talking.” Garrus said. 

“Garrus-”

“I have a delivery to make.” Garrus growled, hopping into the driver’s seat of the transport and leaving before he could be stopped.

~~~@~~~

And so it was, Commander Marie Jane Shepard spent weeks on end out in the far reaches of the known Galaxies, searching for the illusive clues of the Reapers and Protheans to try and stop the invasion she knew was coming.

Visions of their last invasion fifty thousand years ago still haunted her dreams, and some night it was so bad, Chakwas had given her a strong dose of sedatives to help her find restful sleep.

Garrus worked from C-Sec to help those who still needed aid after the attack and helped Nihlus train Benjamin and a few others in basic hand to hand while they had time and also working to keep the peace between some of the races that were still on the Citadel. Anderson received reports every week from Shepard and often spent at least two hours on the comms with her, giving her details about other matters while arranging to have supplies sent to her.

Tali would call Shepard now and then, trying to keep in as much contact as she could with the Commander even while she lived her own life as a member of the Quarian fleet, often asking if Shepard needed any help with Geth or if she had any new clues about the Reapers.

Amber Ruby and Admiral Moore announced the opening of ‘Moore Clinic’ a specialist clinic for those stiff suffering with terrible trauma from the attack and also a place to insure Biotics were treated correctly for their pains and aches as they developed before the implants were put in and given proper care until they were ready to go into any form of training.

The Universe was slowly but surely returned to its normal state around them.

But the peace wasn’t to last.

They would not allow this insect to ruin years of work, destroy centuries of the cycle. They would work swiftly and insure that this problem was brought to them for further study, to insure it never came about again and then they would destroy it.

~~~@~~~

“You realize what you are proposing is not going to work?” the creature before them stated calmly over the channel that had been opened before they had entered the room.

~ “The Commander cannot be allowed to continue! She will ruin everything, Humanity deserves far more than we are given by the Council and Anderson will never ask for more than they are willing to give! He will not fight for what is rightfully ours.” ~

“You mean he will not fight for the acceptance of your reckless ideals and power-hungry ambitions. The Council was saved at the cost of many lives, not all of them were Humans and all races came together to fix the damage caused by the attack.” He said and began type something they could not understand or see as they waited for the call to finish. “Shepard brought you and the Council proof about the Reapers and you chose to ignore it, that lead to the deaths of thousands trying to escape the attack that ‘no one knew was coming’. I will not sully my hands with her blood just to please one low paying fool such as you. It would be far more beneficial to me if I were to leak this information to others and have you and all the Council disgraced.”

~ “You can’t-” ~ the man on the other end of the comms began, only to be shut down as the creature at last turned its attention towards them.

“What is it that you want?” It asked them.

~~~@~~~

“The Council will never trust Cerberus.” She stated. “Shepard’s their hero and they will follow her, she had done everything we could have asked her and more.”

“But she will never accept us, or anything we offer.” He reminded her, taking a drag of his cigarette. “She lost everyone who meant anything to her on Akuze because of the Thresher Maws one of our lower groups released there and she also witnessed many of our other experiments on her travels to find and stop Saren.”

“How can we earn her trust after that?” She asked. “If we lose Shepard, we’ve lost our best hope of stopping the Reapers.”

He nodded stubbing out his cigarette, “Then make sure we don’t lose her.” He said.

“Yes Sir.” She nodded.

~~~@~~~

“I’m telling you we are wasting our time. Four days out here and nothing.” Someone groaned behind him and Joker shook his head.

“Three ships vanished in the last three months here. Something happened to them.” He reminded.

“My money is on slavers.” Ashley called.

“Something on long range scanners. Looks like a cruise vessel of some kind.” A woman said from the right side of Joker’s seat. “It’s changing course.”

“No match to known signatures.” 

“It’s on an intercept trajectory.”

“That can’t be, stealth systems are active. No ship could-”

“Everyone brace for evasive manuvers!!” Joker yelled rapidly moving his hands over the controls, feeling and hearing the ship move at his command, though they were caught by something as they moved. “Shit! Kinetic barriers down. Multiple hull breaches. Weapons off line. Someone get that fire out!!!”

“Shepard!” Ashley yelled as she rushed through the flames and explosions looking for the commander only to see her pulling on her helmet calmly.

“Commander!?”

“Distress beacon ready to launch.” She stated.

“Will they get here in time?” Ashley asked.

“They better.” She growled taking a fire extinguisher from the all and spraying the flames with it. “get everyone to the escape shuttles and off the ship.”

“Joker’s still in the cockpit!” Liara screamed over the flames, “He won’t abandon ship!”

“We’re not leaving either.” Ashley told her.

“Get your asses on the escape shuttle and get out of range of that ship’s fire.” Shepard snarled. “I’ll get Joker!”

“But Commander!”

“Go!” Shepard yelled ready heading back through the flames for Joker. “Now!”

“Aye, aye.” Ashley nodded reluctantly. “Come on Liara!”

~~~@~~~

~“Mayday! Mayday! This is the SSV Normandy!”~ 

“Get the fleet out there!!” Anderson yelled into his comm. “NOW!!!”

~~~@~~~

~“Mayday! We have suffered heavy damage from an unknown enemy!”~

“Joker?! Joker its Tali can you hear me!? Joker?!” Tali yelled into the comm channels. “Normandy!?”

~~~@~~~

“Come on baby, hold together!”

“Get your ass up Joker!” She said, heaving the pilot up and letting him lean on her as they moved. “We gotta go!”

“I can still save her!” Joker pleaded still clinging to the controls. “I can still-”

“She’s gone Joker, going down with her won’t change it!” She shouted over the explosions around them, “Come on!” she pleaded pulling Joker away and to the last escape pod as the attacking ship hit them again. 

“Watch the arm!” Joker groaned as she walked with him letting him lean on her now that his crutches were gone. 

“We don’t have time Joker! I promise I’ll kiss it better when we are safe!” She said shielding him as they walked by the burning fires to the escape pod, “Get in there-Argh!!!!”

“Commander!” Joker cried as she was tossed away from him by the force of the blast. He reached out trying to grab her but she was beyond his reach now. “Marie!!”

“Fuck…” She hissed clinging to the panelling for life as she saw the beam coming closer, she looked at Joker and made her choice. “Stay alive Joker!” she yelled hitting the emergency release switch. “Stay alive!”

“Shepard!!”

*KA-BO-BOOM*

She winced as the explosion sent her cartwheeling helplessly away from the wreckage of the Normandy, through fires, electric surges and then left her drifting aimlessly as the rest of the ship was struck and exploded around her.

Her breath suddenly got short and she struggled to find air, trying disparity to find and seal the tear in her suit, only to find her body quickly refusing to obey.

“Well… At least I’m not being eaten alive.” She thought as her eyes got heavy and she felt herself being dragged towards a planet with the rest of the Normandy debris around her, she felt heat and then flames eat away at her armour and then it all came to a sudden stop.

~~~@~~~

“So we ignore everything she found and forget?!” Amber Ruby snarled at them. “After everything that happened and all she went through for you and your races you just throw her aside like common trash!?”

~ “We have no proof besides what Shepard gave us that the Reapers even really exist.” ~ Anderson said reluctantly. ~ “Not all of us want this, but if we want the people to stay calm and not panic-” ~ 

~ “We have to find some way to put out the time bomb she set off under our feet.” ~ Councillor Sparatus snapped in. ~ “She has no real proof of the reapers to show us, only obscure drawings on walls and untaggable messages from some unknown race. We cannot let the public go mad with fear and ruin what little peace we have regained.” ~

“You have only gained that peace because Shepard saved your asses and stayed here to help fix the mess you let happen by ignoring her warning!” Benjamin yelled at them. “If you had listened instead of being arrogant and stupid you’d have had less losses and there would be a sudden increase in homeless and orphan children!” 

~ “And there would be no need for the Councillors to be so heavily guarded.” ~ the elderly man on the other end of the comm links nodded. ~ “I’m sorry Councillors but if you are asking us to stop investigating the work Shepard gave us after everything we witness and suffered from Sovereign’s attack, you are asking the impossible.” ~

~ “We cannot keep looking into the Reapers without Shepard. She has the visions, the understanding of Prothean tech and the experience to know what she is doing.” ~ Councillor Tevos spoke up, ~ “I understand you are all unwilling to see the work of your friend lost, but without her, we have no one else who can do this job she wanted to do, if we send someone else out there, how do we know they will not end up like Saren and turn against us?” ~

“You let Saren get as far as he did because you ignored Shepard and my warnings.” Nihlus reminded from his place at the table.

~ “And we were mistaken to do so, but think of this from our standing. We do not just govern the lives of our own races here but all races in Citadel Space. If we allow them to show fear of some threat, how long until riots and looters come to the front and crime rates go up?” ~ Tevos asked. ~ “We can’t let people know the truth. It would only insure panic and ultimately ruin everything we are working to protect. Is it the nature of all races to act with hostility when in fear of something they do not understand.” ~

“So you’re going to forget her and pretend it was all the ravings of a man woman even after she saved your lives?” Nihlus growled. 

~ “We have no other option.” ~ Councillor Valern sighed.

“Then when all hell falls on your heads again, do not expect my help fixing the mess your mistakes have made.” And with that Amber Ruby cut the comms short.

“Amber?” a sleepy voice asked and she turned with a smile to the little girl at the door, waving her over and lifting her up onto her hip. “What were you shouting?”

“Because the Council is stupid. They are saying nasty things about Marie.” Amber sighed.

“They should go away.” The child said hugging her bunny doll tight to her chest, “Can you read me a bed time story?”

“Sure.” Amber smiled. “We need to leave the boys to talk anyway.” She added leading Nihlus alone in the comms room with Benjamin and Admiral Moore.

~~~@~~~

“You will bring her to us.” They told him.

“Understood.” He nodded. “But for the Commander, her body shall cost a fair price.” 

“Bring her to us, and well shall pay.” They assure, “But know this, should you try to double cross us, we shall destroy you and all you have.” The creature nodded and they settled in for a long wait, only with study could to find out what made Shepard special and how to stop her kind coming to such power again.

They sat and waited, watching as the news of Shepard’s death spread around the galaxies.

It was made even worse when the news came that no one close to her could find her body.

The Asari refused to speak of it and buried herself in her own work to try and escape the grief, the Quarian was distort with tears and soon contact with her stopped all together, the old Turian spent hours in the training room observation deck, watching the child human vent against the training dummies and targets. The young Turian vanished from C-sec, no one knew where he’d gone.

The Krogan was told Shepard was dead, but he shook his head. “Show me her body, then I’ll believe it.” he’d growled.

Despite the best efforts of those who believed in Shepard’s work, the Council began to whisper and twist what had been found and reported and quickly undid everything Shepard had worked to proof.

They smiled and awaited good news, eager to have the Commander in their grasp when from nowhere, the Asari had come with a Drell and robbed of their prize and now they had to search for it themselves. 

The Asari would pay.

~~~@~~~

Slowly, she became aware again, felt things all over her body that she shouldn’t feel if she were dead. There was a dull ache, like something heavy on her body that needed to be removed before it crushed her, pin point stings in her arms, neck, legs and her ears were filled with a muffling echo.

She took a shaky breath as she tried to wake up, her vision blurry and unfocused as she looked around for something familiar. But there was nothing to see from here, everything was white and brightly lit and there was a smell… a clean, clinical smell.

Was this a hospital? She could hear someone near her, was it Chakwas?

“There. On the monitor.” A woman’s voice said, no trace of panic in her voice as she spoke, it was firm and clearly held authority. “Something’s wrong.” It wasn’t Chakwas’s voice.

What was wrong? Was it something about her? Joker! It had to be Joker she had to get up she had to make sure he was ok.

“She’s reacting to outside stimuli. Showing an awareness of her surroundings.” A man’s voice stated and she realized she must be with two doctors. But where was Chakwas? Chakwas was her doctor. Why wasn’t she here? “Oh my god, Miranda. I think she’s waking up.”

A woman stepped into her view as she tried to look around to her left, a tall, dark haired woman with a look of concern on her face, then to her right a man, shorter than the woman, bold and looking rather stocky and shocked that she was looking around. 

“Damn it Wilson she isn’t ready. Give her sedative before she starts to feel pain.” The woman said and since she couldn’t see anyone else she assumed this woman was Miranda, the dark haired woman looked back at her with more concern. “Shepard please keep still.”

“Ch-Cha…”

“Shhhh, shhh, Shepard, listen to me,” Miranda said taking her hand as she tried to reach up, lightly squeezing it. “Please, lay still, don’t try and move. You’re safe here.” She assured softly.

Where was Chakwas, her crew? Damn it, where was Joker?! What had happened after the explosion? Wait, she had been spaced. Why was she still alive?! She remembered the air in her suit rushing away.

“Her heart rate is still climbing.” Wilson stated. “Brain activity is off the charts. Stats are going red. It’s not working!”

Miranda gave Wilson a harsh look, leaving Shepard’s side as she looked at the stats, “Give her another dose of sedatives, NOW!” she said.

She winced feeling something rush over her, forcing her fears away as she began to slip back into darkness. “Cha-Chakwas…?”

“Heart rate dropping, stats falling back into normal range.” Wilson said as she felt herself getting heavy again, but before she could slip totally away Miranda was back at her side, carefully adjusting her pillow and brushing a few strands of hair out of her face as the terrible burn of her limbs began to fade away again. 

“Shhh, shhh, you’re ok Shepard. You’ll be alright.” Miranda assured.

“That was too close, we almost lost her.”

“I told you those estimates were off.” Miranda stated angrily at Wilson, “Run those numbers again and don’t slack off this time.” She added before softening her gaze back to Shepard. “You’ll be alright Shepard.” 

She gave into sleep. 

But this time, she remained aware of herself and drifted in the darkness of a dreamless sleep, now and then feeling something touch her body a healing of some kind that made her feel stronger but at the same time, she had more and more questions that just wouldn’t answer themselves.

She’d been spaced. 

She’d gotten Joker out but she’d been spaced as the Normandy had been destroyed in front of her. She lost oxygen because her suit was torn. 

She felt herself falling through the atmosphere of a planet then-

She remembered nothing else. 

And now this Miranda woman, a stranger to her was telling her she would be ok. Who was she and why had Miranda been so assuring when she spoke to her? 

Where was Chakwas? Her crew? Joker, Ashley, Liara, oh god Garrus! He must have heard she’d been spaced and Wrex and Tali! She had to contact them as soon as possible she had to tell them she was safe.

She tried to wake, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t get her body to obey, it was like something stopped her getting up even though she knew she wasn’t restrained in anyway.

It was unnerving and so, she lay there drifting aimlessly in darkness, waiting for the 

~“Wake up Commander.”~

That sounded like Miranda and she sounded far away, she tried to open her eyes and felt the room shake suddenly, jolting her from her hazy state slightly as she gasped.

~“Shepard do you hear me? Get up. The Facility is under attack.”~ Miranda said again as she blinked her vison clear, feeling pain wash over her left side as she tried to move. ~“I know you’re in pain Shepard but you have to get moving, you aren’t safe there.”~ she stated over a loud speaker. 

“Fuck…” Shepard hissed sliding off the bed and holding her side. “Weapons?” She asked.

~“There is a locker across from you, inside it you will find a pistol and armour.”~ Miranda explained. ~“I can get you some more thermal clips after you get out of medical- oh shit get down!”~

Shepard dropped behind a crate just as the door to med bay blew open, “Fuck… What is happening?!” she asked quickly pulling the armour on, her left side screaming in pain.

~“Someone is hacking security, trying to kill you.”~ Miranda said. ~“I will explain more when you are at the shuttles.”~

“Who’s doing the shooting?” Shepard growled, holding her side as she fastened her armour, at least with pressure the pain was someone less. “What’s going on here?”

~“Hacked Mechs, I can’t keep them away from you for long.”~ Miranda said as she picked up a clip and headed out of the med bay, ~“Your scars aren’t fully healed yet, so you will still feel pains in some areas but I need you to keep moving.”~

“Easy for you to say, you don’t feel like you just woke up from a nine round fight with a Krogan.” Shepard hissed.

~“You’re making jokes at a time like this?”~

“Joker’s not here to do it for me.” Shepard hissed, ducking down into cover as she took down two hacked mechs, wincing as her body screamed at her to stop. “Damn it… That hurt.”

~“Are you hit?”~ Miranda asked in concern.

“Not by that, just lots of pain in my left side.” She admitted. “Give me a load down here.”

~“Is this really the time? You are about to run into some more Mechs, grab that grenade launcher.”~ Miranda said as she stumbled over the grenade launcher.

“I want to know what the fuck is going on. Last I knew I was dying in space from lack of oxygen. Now I’m here having a fire fight with a hacked set of Mechs and talking to a woman I have never met before but who sure as hell knows me and my style of pistol.” Shepard stated as the doors below her opened. 

~“Tell you what Commander, we get out of this alive and I’ll tell you the whole story. But for now, someone found out that you were almost ready to be woken up and they didn’t like it, so now they are trying to kill you.”~

“This someone have a name?” Shepard asked firing a grenade into the group of mechs wincing as a bullet shot by her ear before an explosion knocked her to her knees. “Fuck!”

~“Working on that. Get to the door and head to the next room, I’ll try and meet *static* Shep- *static* mechs closing *static* My position…”~

“Shit.” Shepard hissed leaning against a railing, feeling something in her side ache and scream at her to rest even as she got back to her feet and forced herself to keep moving. 

“Shepard?!” a voice yelled out as something grabbed her and pulled her to cover as another explosion went off. “Things must be worse than I thought is Miranda has you running around.”

“Who are you?” Shepard asked as the man beside her offered her a thermal clip.

“Jacob Taylor. Sorry I forgot this is new to you right now.” The man said. 

“Mind telling me what the fuck happened to me?” Shepard asked unloading a round into the head of a hacked mech. “Did the crew of the Normandy get away?” 

“As far as I know, Pressly and a few other low rank officers in the cockpit didn’t make it out, but the Pilot and most others did.” Jacob assured, firing a shot over the top of their cover. “It’s been two years since you were spaced. In all honestly I thought you were still a work in progress.”

“Two years?!” Shepard gasped in shock. “How did-What?!”

“I’m a biotic, let me know what you want me to hit these bastards with the good stuff.” He stated. “Then I’ll tell you everything I know.” He offered.

“Deal.” Shepard said and the two opened fire on the Hacked Mechs, taking them down until they were almost out of ammo, the last mech seemed to realize it was alone before Jacob slammed it with all he had.

When the smoke cleared Shepard hissed and clutched her side again, “Fuck… this can’t be real…”

“I promised you answers.” Jacob said holstering his gun. “What do you want to know?”

“You said its been two years… How bad was I? How did I live though…? How?” She asked. “I should be dead.”

“I’m no doctor Commander, but it was bad. First time I saw you, you were meat and tubes on a table with Miranda stood over you, barking orders at any doctor not doing anything.” Jacob explained to her, “If we were anyone else we’d have set you in a coffin but Project Lazarus was different, cutting edge technology and lead by one hell of a leader.”

“Cloning?” Shepard asked with a tremble to her voice.

“No, they wanted to bring you back exactly as you were, no fancy add-ons or alterations, you are the same Shepard you were the day you got spaced, you’ve just been comatose for two years. To the Alliance and the rest of the galaxy, you died two years ago and had a huge service on the Citadel.” Jacob stated. 

“My crew? The Normandy? Joker? Chakwas? Tali? Garrus? Liara? Ashley? Wrex? Nihlus?” Shepard asked. “Where are they?”

“After your service, many of your crew were lost to new ships, but the Turians, Krogan, Asari and Quarian went about their own lives, no idea where they are now but I know the Asari only recently settled into a new job.”

“I have to find them.” Shepard said. “Tali and Liara, damn it, I was meant to be on Earth after that mission. Benjamin’s pass out was a week away.” She added then hissed and clutched her side again. “Shit.”

“You can track them down when we get off the station, Miranda will not give up on your now. she led the Lazarus team and her sole priority was getting you back to life.” Jacob said helping her stand again.

“We lost touch just before I ran into you.” Shepard nodded. “What’s the fastest way to the shuttles?” She asked only to stop as the comms began to fizzle to life.

~“Check. Check. Anyone on this frequency? Anybody still alive out there?”~ A voice asked. ~“Hello?”~

“Wilson, this is Jacob, Shepard and I just took out a wave of mechs in D Wing.” Jacob answered.

~“Shepard’s alive?!”~ Wilson asked in shock. ~“Get her out of there! Head through the service tunnels and get to the network control room.”~

“Stay on this frequency!” Jacob stated.

“I remember a Wilson checking up on me when I woke up once.” She aid, “Bold guy, stocky build.”

“That’s him, chief medical tech answers directly to Miranda.” Jacob said, “He hates the idea but that’s why he gets paid.” He added leading Shepard to the tunnels.

“This isn’t an Alliance facility.” She said taking down more mechs as they went.

“No.” Jacob said. “It’s not.”

“I suddenly wish I still had Fang.” She said.

Jacob would have spoken but Wilson came back into the comms. ~“God they are here! Hurry!”~

“Wilson where are you?!” Jacob asked.

~“Server Room B!!”~

“Up those stairs,” Jacob said as they began to shoot the mechs behind them.

“Down here!” Wilson yelled from the floor. “Bastards got me in the leg!” he cursed.

“There’s some medi gel in the station on the wall.” Jacob said while checking Wilson’s leg. “Should help you too Shepard.”

“Catch.” Shepard said tossing the whole gel towards them.

“Thanks Shepard.” Wilson growled as he stood. “Never thought you’d save my life.” He added the looked to Jacob. “I thought maybe I could shut down the Security mechs, but whoever did this fried the whole system.”

“We didn’t ask what you were doing.” Jacob said. “Why do you even have Security mech clearance? You were in the bio wing.” He added. 

“Weren’t you listening? I came here to try and fix all this, besides I was shot! How do you explain that?”

“Your own stupidity.” Shepard stated coldly. “Let’s get someplace safe and then we can sort out whose fault this is.” She added.

“Fine by me Shepard but we need to find Miranda, we can’t leave her behind.” Jacob said.

“Forget her!” Wilson snarled, “She as in D Wing when the Mech swarmed in there is no way she survived.”

“Mech won’t drop Miranda. She’s alive.” Jacob stated firmly. 

“Then why haven’t we heard from her?” Wilson demanded.

“She woke me and got me out of the Medical bay.” Shepard said. “She’s alive.”

“Either way, we have to get out of here, the shuttle bays are only a few-” Wilson’s statement was cut shot as a shot whizzed past his head and several mechs came in via a second door way. “Shit!”

Shepard growled and shouldered the grenade launcher, letting lose the second shoot from it, hitting a pair of canisters and causing them to explode, taking out the mechs and clearing them a path out.

Jacob and Wilson looked at one another and then at Shepard.

“I am getting tired of mechs shooting at me, people not giving me a full story and all hell going off around me.” Shepard growled and nodded forwards, “Wilson up front where I can see you.”

“What?!”

“You want me to shoot you? Get moving!” Shepard snarled. 

“Whoa, whoa,” Jacob said, “Shepard I know this is getting tense, but please, trust me when I say that this is not how things were meant to be when you woke up.”

“Then how the fuck was it meant to be? I’ve been dead for two years and this is how I wake up? Forgive me if I am just a little pissed.” She said.

“If I tell you who we work for, will you trust me?” Jacob asked.

“This isn’t the time, Jacob.” Wilson said. 

“We won’t make it if she’s expecting a shot in the back.” Jacob stated.

“If you wanna piss off the Boss, its your ass.” Wilson said.

“The Lazarus Project, the program that brought you back…” Jacob began, “It’s funded and controlled by Cerberus.” 

“The Pro-Human splinter group that caused the deaths of a lot of people… I ran into them a few times while I was investigating Saren.” Shepard said. “And before that.” She added clenching her fist.

“That’s what the Alliance wants people to believe but there’s more to it I worked for the Alliance for five years before I came here.” Jacob said, “Look, I’d be suspicious too, but right now we have to work together. I thought you deserved to know what’s what. Once we are off the station I’ll take you to the Illusive Man, he’ll explain everything. I promise.”

“Akuze was caused by Cerberus.” Shepard snarled. “I don’t care what they did, I will not work with terrorists.” 

“Tell it to the boss.” Jacob said, “We’re almost to the shuttle.” He added.

“Then lead the way, Wilson.” Shepard stated.

Jacob looked at her as she followed Wilson, refusing to let the other sneak behind them. Even as they encountered more Hacked Mechs, Shepard wouldn’t let Wilson behind her. 

Once they reached the door to the shuttle bay, only to find Miranda waiting for them.

“Miranda?! But I thought you were-”

*Bang*

“Dead.” Miranda said to the now lifeless body of Wilson. “Come on, my boss wants to talk to you.”

“The Illusive Man.” Shepard said. “I know you work for Cerberus.” 

“Ah Jacob. I should have known your conscious would get the better of you.” Miranda said looking at Jacob.

“Lying to the Commander isn’t the best way to get her to help us.” Jacob defended.

“Fair enough. When we get to the next facility the Illusive Man will answer all your questions, he poured virtually unlimited resources into Lazarus. Obviously he has some kind of plan for you.” Miranda said leading them to the shuttle.

Shepard sighed as she looked out at the stars going by the shuttle windows, feeling some form of familiarity at last was nice, even if she was traveling with two Cerberus operatives. 

“Shepard, before you meet with the Illusive Man, we need to ask you a few questions to evaluate your condition.” Miranda said, pulling her from her thoughts.

“More tests?” Jacob asked. “She took down those mechs, without any trouble. That has to be enough.”

“It’s been two years since the attack. The Illusive Man needs to know that the memories and personality are intact.” Miranda said. “The sooner we start, the sooner we are finished.” She added.

Jacob sighed. “Alright. Personal history, the records we have state you were born on earth, you enlisted with the Alliance and during your training to become and N7 you were sent to Akuze. Do you remember why?”

“I wasn’t sent to Akuze. The Everfree went down there to investigate a lost contact with the colony, we were then attacked by three Thresher Maws and I was thought to be the only survivor until I found Corporal Toombs while investigating Saren. Toombs committed suicide after his captor was taken into custody on my ship.” Shepard corrected and recalled clenching her fists. “He was working for Cerberus.”

“On Virmire you had to leave one of your crew to die in the blast.” Miranda said, glad that Shepard was able to correct the deliberate mistake.

“Kaidan Alenko.” Shepard said. “We were trying to destroy Saren’s cloning facility… I didn’t want to make the choice but in the end, it was what he wanted.”

“What happened after the Alliance saved the Destiny Ascension?” Jacob asked.

“I recommended Anderson for the seat on the Council.” Shepard said. “And I kicked Udina into the lake.” 

“The memories are there,” Jacob said, “And I can vouch for your skills in combat.” He added.

“Then hopefully that will be enough.” Miranda said as they came out of jump speed. “the Illusive man will be waiting for you in the comms room of the base.”

~~~@~~~

{“Humanity is up against its greatest threat and you think bringing me back is going to solve anything?”} She asked with a snarl. {“What have the Reapers done that caused you to bring me back? And what rights do you have to play god with my life?!”}

“We are at war Shepard, no one wants to admit it but Humanity is under attack. While you were in a coma, entire human colonies have been disappearing and we believe from the reports we have that is it someone working with the Reapers, just as Saren and the Geth aided Sovereign.” The Illusive Man stated calmly. “You’ve seen it yourself and bested them, just one of the reasons we chose you.” 

{“I wasn’t in a coma, I was DEAD!! You could have easily trained an army for what you spent bringing me back.”} Shepard snarled out and he could see she was still in immense pain. {“And if this is a threat, mobilize the Alliance. And tell me why the Reapers would suddenly just target Humans when Sovereign wanted to harvest ALL life in the galaxy.”}

“You are unique Shepard,” he stated calmly, “Not just in ability but in what you represent, by standing for Humanity in a key moment you became a symbol. And I don’t know if the Reapers understand fear, but in killing one they have to respect you. No one is paying attention to the attacks because they are random and while the Alliance might help, they are still stretched to thinly after the attack on Sovereign. They are still rebuilding.”

He watched her think it over, knowing like him she was questioning everything, why not go to the Turians? Sparatus would never help humans, no matter who did the asking. The Asari? Tevos may help, but again, she never did anything without the say so of the others. The Salarians? Valern might be convinced to help but only if you paid him in some way. Yeah not even going to think what he would ask for.

“Shepard, I know you do not have the nicest history with Cerberus, but right now we are the only ones looking into the Reapers as a real threat, after your death the Council did all it could to erase your work, and in the two years you have been in our care, being slowly brought back to life, the masses have been tricked into thinking the reapers are just a fanatic’s dreamed up threat.”

{“So what do you want me to do? If what you say is true and the Reapers are behind these attacks, who do you expect me as one woman to do?”} She said after a time, though she sounded unhappy about it.

“I have a shuttle waiting to take you to Freedom’s Progress, the latest colony to be abducted.” He stated, “Miranda and Jacob will brief you, but if you do not find the evidence we are both looking for we can part ways. I may have brought you back but I know better than to try and force you to stay and help us after what you suffered on Akuze.”

And with that said he ended to call.

~~~@~~~

“We are hoping to be the first ones at this colony all the other had already been tampered with so this should give us more answers.” Jacob said.

“Then we may find survivors.” Shepard said, looking out the window of the small craft.

“That is unlikely Commander.” Miranda stated. “No one was left at the other colonies, they were completely deserted.” 

“It would be nice to find someone.” Jacob admitted. “Anything is better than another ghost town.” He added.

Shepard sighed, leaning back in her seat. Just go in to see if this was the Reapers or if it was just a fluke and really was the fault of pirates and Batarians. Just go and check and then if it was nothing but that, she could leave Cerberus and find her crew and friends. Find the people she could trust and from there, she could find out if Cerberus had changed anything about her.

She watched the Colony come closer and hopped out of the shuttle with a light huff, looking around for something that would show life.

Nothing.

Miranda looked at Shepard as she crouched down, looking at the ground and then slowly looking around the area again, “No battle damage or signs of a struggle, it’s as if everyone just up and walked out.” She said.

A low, echoing moan carried on the wind, but despite its frightening sound, Shepard ignored it, focusing on something it seemed only she knew about. She paused at a table and scanned the food, all the while watching the commander move. “The food passes all scanners, it’s clean.”

“Looks like they all just got up and left right in the middle of the meal.” Jacob said as they moved on, stopping as a door slid down to let them pass into the next area.

“Sh.” Shepard said looking around slowly. “Listen.” She added.

Miranda listened carefully then ducked as Jacob dived for cover. “FENRIS Mechs.” He yelled as he opened fire on them.

“Strange.” Miranda said, “The Security was disable at the other colonies.” 

“Talking later, shooting now.” Shepard suggested levelling a shot at one of the mechs that was charging them. “These mechs should recognize us as humans.”

“Then it seems we aren’t alone here.” Miranda said looking at them.

“Thanks for the jinks Jacob.” Shepard half joked as that took out the last mech. “We take out the mechs as we encounter them, anyone else, we try and talk to.” She stated.

“Aye ma’am.”

Shepard moved to opened another door and go into the building just as a group of Quarians jumped into action, weapons drawn and ready.

“Stop right there!” one ordered, but before Shepard could speak she heard a familiar voice.

“Prazza! You said you’d let me handle this!”

“Tali?” Shepard asked waving Jacob and Miranda to lower their weapons.

“Shepard?” Tali asked turning from her fellow Quarians to see the woman behind her.

“I am not taking any changed with Cerberus operatives!” Prazza snapped trying to level his weapon.

“Put your weapons down!” Tali snarled and the other Quarians slowly obeyed after realizing Shepard had holstered her weapon and the Cerberus operatives had done the same, Tali put herself in the way of Prazza’s shots and turned to Shepard. 

Even through the mask Shepard could see the confusion, she looked the same even with bandages clinging to her face, heck Cerberus had even remade her N-7 armour, but there were scars on her face and likely Tali had seen the reports on what happened to the Normandy, or she had likely heard about it from Joker and Ashley…

“You’re alive?” the Quarian asked in utter shock and confusion. “How?”

“I don’t know the ins and outs all I know is that Cerberus brought me back, I don’t remember much after getting spaced.” Shepard answered, “They asked me to investigate these attacks on human colonies.” 

“You’ll pardon us for not taking you at your word, Cerberus.” Prazza said.

“I am NOT part of Cerberus.” Shepard growled at Prazza, taking slight amassment in how quickly he jumped back at her tone, then she looked back to Tali, speaking calmly as if she hadn’t snapped. “I don’t care what fight your people have with Cerberus Tali, right now it is not my business, but in return for them bringing me back I agreed to look into the attacks.” 

Tali nodded, then looked towards the back of the room. “A moment?” she asked.

Shepard nodded tossing her weapon to Jacob and followed Tali away from the others. “How long have you been… alive?” Tali asked. “Are you really… you?”

“I don’t know, Tali. They said that it took them two years to get me to this stage, I don’t know what inside me is left from before and what is new, but I do know that right now I owe them for saving me. I’m looking into this colony then depending on what I find I’ll make my choice from there.” 

“Your injuries. Didn’t they try to heal you?” Tali asked looking at her with a knowing look to her left side and her face.

“I won’t let them near me.” Shepard said. “I woke up in the middle of a fire fight and from there, I’ve been given nothing but half-truths and few answers. I can’t trust them. You are the first person since I woke up to look at me with genuine concern.” She admitted with a small smile as Tali lightly touched her face.

“Oh Shepard, we all thought… I heard the Mayday call and I tried to get your help but- and then Liara told me and- and Wrex and Garrus. Nihlus even- We all thought you were- If we had known you were alive we would have come for you!” Tali began only to stop as Shepard put a hand to her shoulder.

“I know you’d have come for me Tali.” She assured softly. “I’ll finish what I need to do here and then, if I can I’ll contact you and we’ll try and figure this out.” Shepard said offering Tali her hand.

“I can agree to that.” Tali said taking her hand just a brief shake, but enough for Tali’s Suit to register something had been given to her via an old download link.

Shepard’s privet comm link frequency.

As they returned to the group Miranda asked. “Why are the Quatrains on a Human Colony?”

“Weapons down, Prazza, we don’t want another fight.” Tali said then turned to Miranda. “One of our people was here on Pilgrimage, his name is Veetor.”

“Why was he here for Pilgrimage?” Shepard asked, “What could a human colony have to help life on the Flotilla?”

“We can choose where we go on Pilgrimage and Veetor liked the idea of helping a small settlement. He was always nervous in crowds.” Tali explained.

“She means he was unstable, combine that with damage to his Suit’s CO2 scrubbers and an infection from an open-air exposure and he’s likely delirious.” Prazza snipped in.

“When he saw us landing he hid on the far side of town in a warehouse, we suspect that he also programmed the mechs to attack anything that moved.” Tali finished.

“Then it sounds like Veetor can tell us what happened here.” Shepard said, “I’ll help you get past the drones, if you’ll let me ask him if he knows what happened to the Humans here.” She offered.

“You want us to work with Cerberus?!” Prazza asked Tali.

“No Prazza you work for me. If you can’t follow orders, go wait on the ship.” Tali stated in a tone Shepard found less like the young girl she remembered and more like a hardened Commander.

“How are we doing this?” Jacob asked. 

“Head for the warehouse through the centre of the colony. We’ll circle around and draw off some of the drones to clear you a path.” Tali said.

“Wait.” Jacob said. “When we came in here we ran into FENRIS and LOKI Mechs and where you find FENRIS and LOKI there is usually a big old world of hurt as well.”

“What do you mean?” Shepard asked. 

“It doesn’t matter!” Prazza said, “We need to get going, the longer we stand here the more likely Veetor gets more drones to kill us.” He added marching off.

Tali looked at Shepard.

“Go Tali. We’ll sort this out later.” She added and Tali nodded.

“See you on the far side.” 

~~~@~~~

Liara blinked twice. She must have misread that e-mail. She scrolled back to the top of the message and started again. 

Doctor Liara T’Soni,  
We are pleased to report that the Commander has awakened from her slumber and will be assisting Cerberus in their efforts to stop the Reapers. 

We thank you for your aid in making this possible.

Kindly.  
The Illusive Man.

She was awake? She was ALIVE? After so long, she was back! Liara should be happy to hear it, after all her work, all this time not knowing. But did Shepard remember everything? Was she the same? Had Cerberus really brought her back as she was or had they lied to her and changed everything…?

How could she be sure that Shepard was still herself?

She couldn’t just up and leave her job here, she was close to finding more about the Shadow Broker and bringing and end to him for what he had tried to do to Shepard’s body and what he had done to Feron. 

She saved the e-mail, hoping that it would be proven true in the future and then prepared for the rest of the day at work.

~~~@~~~

Tali ran as fast as her legs would carry her, hearing gun shots echoing around the colony as she moved, praying that Prazza didn’t do something foolish. Her preys went unanswered as she saw Prazza about to try and take on a heavy Mech.

“Prazza Wait! You don’t have the weapons to fight that mech!” She called in warning seconds before the Heavy mech opened fire on them, cutting down two of their number easily while their bullets bounced off it. “What have you done?!”

“Why isn’t it going down?!” Prazza snarled.

“Shepard?! Shepard Veetor has reprogramed a Heavy mech! It’s tearing us apart!” Tali screamed into her comm.

~“Open the door!”~ Jacob answered, ~“Hurry, that’s a YMIR mech, they have heavy armour plating you can’t fight something like that in your Suits!”~

“Look out!” 

Tali had enough time to see the rocket coming at them as she ducked for cover feeling the heat even through her suit before the door to her cover slammed down and sealed shut. “Fuck!”

~“Tali?! Tali answer me!!”~ Shepard called over the comms, panicked for her friend. ~“Tali’Zorah!!”~

“Hurry Shepard!” Tali pleaded opening the door for the commander. “I can’t get the door open!” she added watching from the window as Shepard vaulted over the crates in her way.

“This is gonna be one tough son of a bitch to bring down!” Miranda said.

Tali watched from the window of her prison/cover as the YMIR mech took out the last of her team mates and then focused on Shepard as she charged in with the same bravado she had seen before, ignoring the cover and shelter of the crates and attacking the mech with her bare hands, ripping at its plating and wires then heaved a grenade launcher from her back and fired it close range to the mech, watching it spark and crackle before it blew up.

“Tali!?”

“Here Shepard.” She called and Shepard moved to her cover, putting a hand to the glass of the window. “Are you ok?” She asked.

Tali nodded, “I think so, just banged and bruised.” She said moving behind a crate as Shepard raised her gun, shooting the glass window out and clearing the ledge. 

“Come on, Veetor must be close.” She said offering Tali her hand.

“Commander, I’m getting a life sign in that building.” Jacob said pointing to a small hut a few yards from them. Tali winced and tried to keep pressure off her right foot as she walked, smiling in her mask as Shepard moved to help her.

Opening the door, Shepard found the room seemed to have been turned into a security room, filled with the red glow of the screens and sat in front of them was a young male Quarian, talking to himself in a panicked state.

“Monsters coming back. Mechs will protect. Safe from swarms. Have to hide. No-no-no-no-no.”

“Veetor?” She asked.

“No Veetor, not here, Swarms can’t find. Monsters coming have to hide.” The Quarian stated.

“Veetor, what are you doing?” Tali asked only to find Veetor didn’t respond to her either. “Veetor?”

“I don’t think he can hear you.” Jacob said quietly. “He’s so focused on the screens.”

Shepard looked at the screens and then carefully tapped something into her Omni-tool and slowly waved her arm across the screens, turning them to an error screen, just an image, but it had the desired effect.

“What? What? Why?” Veetor sat back and gave a confused shake of his head before slowly turning around to face them. “You are- you’re Human? Where did you hide? How come they didn’t, they didn’t find you?” he asked.

“Who didn’t find us?” Miranda asked.

“The Monsters, they took everyone, a swarm.” Veetor said swaying slightly as he stood.

“We aren’t survivors Veetor.” Shepard said, stepping forward sto help Veetor sit down again. “We just got here, can you tell us what happened?”

“You don’t know, you didn’t see, but I see everything.” Veetor said turning back to his computers and with a few key strokes, the screens began playing footage for them. “The seeker swarms, no one can hide, they find you freeze you and then the monsters take you away.”

“What the hell is that?” Shepard asked as the screen froze on an image of a creature she’d never seen.

“I think… I think is a Collector.” Miranda gasped.

“A what?” Tali asked.

“They come from beyond the Omega 4 Relay. Only a few people have ever seen one in person. They usually work through intermediaries, like slavers or hired mercs,” Jacob explained.

“If they are working with the Reapers somehow, that could explain what happened to the colonies.” Miranda said.

“Tell me about these swarms, Veetor,” Shepard pleaded. 

“It’s how they find you. Seeker clouds, Machines like tiny insects. They find you then sting you, freeze you.” Veetor said showing them more of the footage. “The monsters took everyone onto the ship and then they left but they will come back for me, no one escapes.” He added.

“Thank you Veetor.” Shepard said.

“I studied them, the swarms and monsters, I recorded them with my Omni-tool… lots of readings. Electromagnetic. Dark energy.” Veetor stated and typed rapidly into the Omni-Tool.

Shepard looked at Tali. “Can I get a copy of that data?” she asked.

“Yes.” Tali said.

“Why aren’t you bringing him with us?” Miranda asked. “He has intel we need.”

“Right now, he is injured and with the tension Cerberus and the Quarians have I’m not about to add more fuel to the fire,” Shepard said sharply. “Veetor goes with Tali.” 

“But-”

“Listen here Lawson. I have been dead for two years to the world outside that lab you had me in and no one but you and your people knew that I was alive.” Shepard snapped turning on Miranda so fast the other woman backed off a step. “Tali was given the mission to collect Veetor and he is hurt.” 

“We can help him.” Jacob offered only to also fall into Shepard’s heated glare. 

“I’m not going to let Cerberus near him after the shit they pulled already. If the Illusive Man has an issue with the way I work, he can stuff it up his ass.” She told them, “Is that understood?”

Miranda looked like she wanted to say something but she chose better and nodded. “Yes Commander.”

“Thank you, Shepard.” Tali said gratefully as she let Veetor lean on her. “I am glad you are still the one giving the orders.” She said with a smile in her voice, “If I find anything that can help you, I will let you know.”

Shepard watched her leave with Veetor then looked to the screens again. “What is going on?”

~~~@~~~

“Alive?” Anderson asked.

~ “Tali reports seeing her wither own eyes, and its corroborated by Veetor’s report and security files.” ~ Nihlus explained. ~ “She’s alive Anderson, and she’s not in a good way.” ~

“How?” Anderson asked. “How did she survive?”

~ “Cerberus.” ~ Nihlus said with a deep growl. ~ “They somehow found her body, everything Shepard knows went sent to Tali and she sent it to me.” ~ he added and Anderson watched the file open on his screen.

Shepard’s hand writing, the same frantic scribble of a signature, the same blunt and to the point attitude. It had to be her, there was no way anyone else could spell Udina as ‘asshole’. “How did Cerberus revive her? We searched everywhere for her body… How did they find her?”

~ “No idea, but Shepard is refusing their help, she’s calling the shots on the missions it seems, but Tali says she’s not well,” ~ Nihlus explained. ~ “Anderson we have to tell the others and get the crew back. Shepard is going to need us.” ~

“How? The others will not be pleased to hear this and Udina will go to any length to stop her coming here when he hears about this is he hasn’t already.” Anderson reminded grimly, “We have to know more.”

~ “And how do you plan on doing that? Calling her and asking? Last time I looked you were ready to ship her off to the loony bin for her work to expose the Reapers.” ~ Nihlus barked. ~ “If you aren’t going to listen then I will call the people who will.” ~ And with that, Nihlus cut the comms off.

~~~@~~~

{“I’ve found a pilot I think you will like, I hear that he’s one of the best.”} He told her as he tapped his cigarette ash from the tip of his smoke. {“Someone you can trust.”} He added cutting the call.

Shepard growled but before she could speak, a sharp pain shot up her left side and she winced, turning to leave the room, forcing herself to walk tall past Miranda and Jacob as she went.

“You’re a mess Commander.” She looked up at the voice and found a familiar face leant against the wall at the top of some stairs. 

“Joker?” She asked and then all but jumped up the steps and grabbed him in a hug. “You son of a bitch!”

“Look who’s talking.” Joker stated returning the hug, “I saw you get spaced Commander.” 

“I got lucky with a lot of strings attached it seems. How did you get here?” Shepard asked as they walked.

“Without you it all fell apart. Everything you stirred up the Council just wanted it gone. Team was broken up, records sealed and I was grounded.” Joker explained briefly. “They took away the thing that mattered most to me, so I joined Cerberus.”

“You trust them?” She asked.

“I don’t trust anyone who makes more credits than I do. But they aren’t all bad, saved your life, let me fly. Oh and there is this.” Joker said gently turning her towards the window. “They only told me last night.”

Shepard looked into the dark room then watched with a smile as the lights came on one by one to show a sleek shape in the room, shining with white and black paint and a proud SR2 pained on the side.

“Good to be home, huh Commander?” he asked.

“I guess we will have to give her a name.” Shepard smiled. 

Joker chuckled. “I liked the old girl.”

“Then how about we paint Normandy on her side but between us, she’s Junior.” Shepard asked.

“Perfect.” He smiled and led the way aboard the new ship and made his way to the cockpit.

Shepard smiled a little and began to wander the ship herself, it looks the same but somethings were different, the dull hum was deeper now, the soft clang of her boots against the grates was sharper now, clearly a sign of just how new the ship was, the doors gave a sharp clang and bash as they opened, rather than a soft clash and droning bong…

“Hello Marie.”

Shepard stopped dead as she turned to the speaker, another familiar face sat at a desk of the medical office, the same caring smile on the aged face as she looked at her. “Chakwas…?”

“I was approached by Cerberus shortly after I was placed on Mars and they told me about you. And so here I am.” The older woman explained.

“You never struck me as the type.” Shepard said. 

“I don’t work for Cerberus, Marie I work for you.” Chakwas stated firmly, “As I always have, this mission may be crucial to the survival of the human race. I trust you Commander.” She added.

“How can you trust me?” Marie asked sitting herself on the desk with a heavy sigh. “Chakwas I, I don’t even know how much of me is still here, revive is a word I can understand but I read the reports, they had to rebuild me I was so bad. I don’t know what they put into me, what has been changed. I woke up on their table and all I knew was that I wasn’t amongst friends…” she said, no longer hiding the shakes or fear in her voice. “I thought everyone was dead. God I thought it was some sick game for the shit I pulled as a kid on the streets, then they tell me that for two years they were rebuilding me, a pro-human terrorist group rebuilt me, like I was just some kind of machine. How do I know they really didn’t change something in me? Make me different? What if-”

“Look at me Marie.” Chakwas said, cutting her off and gently taking the other woman’s trembling hands in her own. “You are the same woman we watched take down Saren, the same young woman I saw come back from Akuze beaten and bloody, the same Marie Jane Shepard that came into my med bay with a broken shoulder carrying the full weight of a fatally bleeding cadet. Cerberus may have put some Bio-Synthetics inside you but they have not changed the way your mind works, your emotions or personality, you are the same Marie Jane that Jade Kirana loved as a sister, the same Auntie Shepard Benjamin loves to this day and you are still the same Commander Shepard to all of us from the Original crew.”

“How do you know me so well?” Shepard asked with a slight sniffle and wiped her eyes. 

“I’m your doctor, your therapist and your friend, it’s my job to know you.” Chakwas smiled softly, handing her a tissue. “Come now, that’s enough tears, I’ve been through the reclaiming of Shanxi, the deaths on Akuze, the Battle of the Citadel and the destruction of the Normandy and not once have I been able to stand seeing young woman cry.” She said.

“Then tell me why come after me again?” Shepard asked softly. 

“I have lived a full life with no regrets. I’d like to make sure the Crew gets the same opportunity.” Chakwas smiled. “And besides, I have grown too use to the sound of the ship around me.”

“Thank you Chakwas.” Shepard smiled.

“Now, tell me why we are going to Omega?”

“Moonshine.” Shepard chuckled.

“Commander?” Miranda called, “May I speak with you a moment?”

“If it isn’t something about my old crew mates, then no you may not.” Shepard told her.

“Why aren’t you looking over the dossiers?” Miranda asked.

“Because I don’t trust hired guns picked for me by someone else.” Shepard said.

“Cerberus did not hire incompetent people to work with you Shepard.”

“Miranda, I learned from a young age that you can’t trust what other people think is best for you or trust that the people they tell you are ok are really ok.” Shepard explained, getting back to her feet. “You’re a smart girl so let me ask you this and be honest, if that’s even a word Cerberus knows how to use. Would you trust someone you’ve never met to watch your back if you were told they were a Merc?”

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable with it, but I’d go with it if I had no other choice.” Miranda answered.

“And if you did have a choice, if you could go and meet a person face to face, get a feel for them and what they are like, would you allow it with more comfort?” Shepard asked. 

Miranda gave an odd look then sighed, “I don’t understand what you mean, the Dossiers as detailed in every way possible on everyone we considered-” 

“Then when we get to Omega, I’m leaving you with Aria to learn a thing or two about trusting only what you read.” Shepard told her. 

“So there is another reason we are going to Omega?” Chakwas asked with a knowing smile.

“Professor Mordin Solus.” Shepard nodded. “We need someone who can work fast with samples and study what Veetor gave me, and since we don’t have Tali with us, I need the next best thing and that is a Salarian.” She added.

[“Acquiring Professor Solus seems like the most logical place to start.”]

“Who in the hell?” Shepard asked turning around as a large blue orb on a stand appeared behind her. “Ok… who’s this?”

[“I am the Normandy’s artificial intelligence. The crew refer to be as EDI.”] It answered in a female voice.

“An A.I? Oh, Joker is not going to like this.” Shepard said. “He hates it then people take the control from him.”

[“I do not helm this ship. Mr. Moreau’s talents will not go to waste.”] EDI assured. [“During combat I operate electric warfare and cyberwarfare suites beyond that I cannot interface with the ships systems. I observe and offer analysis and advice. Nothing more.”] She added before fading out.

“Anyone else I need to meet?” Shepard asked.

“The Normandy has a full crew. They are at their station awaiting your orders.” Miranda said. 

~~~@~~~

“Runt’s alive.” 

Pallin looked up at the statement only to finds his office empty. He shook his head and went back to his reports, only to look up again as he heard his officers start talking outside.

“Alive?”

“Nihlus is talking with Madam Ruby about it right now, Shepard’s really back from the dead.”

“Maybe she never died?”

“Don’t be insulting. Shepard would never fake her own death, she knows what that would do to her place in the Wolf Pack.”

“What about the reports? Are they real?” 

“Is she really with Cerberus?”

“Turns out they were the ones who spent the last two years bringing her back.”

Pallin blinked and then stood and left his office to find Nihlus, if this was true, he wanted to hear it straight from Nihlus himself. Then he was going to find the Councillors and verbally demand some damn answers. 

~~~@~~~

“Welcome to Ome- HEY!!” A Salarian tried to greet only to have Shepard ignore him. 

“Beat it Scavenger, I don’t need a tour from your filth.” Shepard stated one hand moving to her gun and the Salarian quickly rushed off.

“I see you have no trouble picking out the idiots.” A Batarian stated as he approached. “Commander.” He added in a way of greeting her.

“You know me?” Shepard asked.

“We had you pegged the minute you entered the Terminus systems, Aria wants to know why a dead Spectre is coming to Omega.” The Batarian stated. “I would suggest you head over to Afterlife and present yourself.”

“I’ll go see Aria when I’ve had a drink.” Shepard said. “Unless she’s got some news for me.” She added.

“Things explode around you Shepard. You can’t blame Aria for keeping an eye on you.” The Batarian stated. “Afterlife. Now.”

“Pleasant.” Miranda said.

[“I’m receiving quarantine warnings about the slums where Dr. Mordin Solus runs the clinic. I have also accessed messages between mercenary groups regarding plans to deal with Archangel. Afterlife has a recruiting station that may have further information on him.”] EDI stated over the comms. 

“So, where first commander?” Jacob asked.

“Afterlife,” Shepard said, already heading up the stairs of the club. “I need a drink.” She added and headed right for the bar. “Moonshine, and don’t water it down.”

“Aye.” The bar tender smiled and pulled out a large pint glass from the rack and filled it to the brim before Shepard snatched it up and drank it down in one long drink. “Credits.”

“Check your tool.” Shepard told him and walked off. “Thanks.” 

“Where did you learn to hold your drinks?” Jacob asked.

“Life like mine teaches you not to be picky. Plus, Vodka was what some gangs mixed with fizzy drinks to get girls away from their groups and in a more vulnerable state, so to build your tolerance the Wolves use to give us straight Moonshine, small shots at first but as we got older we started to drink more and eventually it was like drinking water, I kept drinking as I got older and by twenty I was able to down up to a backer’s dozen bottles before I got wobbly.” Shepard stated.

“But weren’t your own Gang members out for you?” Jacob asked.

“I stated out in the Pack as a runner, by the time I started to develop more I was already able to out drink most of the boys in the group and I could fight.” Shepard reminded, “I didn’t leave the life ‘til I was eighteen and even then, I always had a stash of Moonshine somewhere.”

“That explains the state of your liver when we found you.” Miranda stated as they reached the stairs. “Did you know how badly you had damaged it?”

“What are you, my mother Miranda? My life, my body, my choice.” Shepard stated. “Now hush up and play nice.” She added heading up the stairs stopping at the top. “You called?”

“Garka.” Aria nodded and a Batarian stepped forwards and raised his Omni-Tool to scan Shepard.

“Stand Still.”

“If you were looking weapons you aren’t very good.” Shepard stated. “And you’re not gonna find Fang either.”

“Can’t be too careful with dead Spectres.” Aria stated, “That could be anyone wearing your face.”

“No one could wear my face and get away without someone noticing a difference.” Shepard huffed, “Besides, a face like mind would scare the fuck out of everyone.”

“They’re clean.” Garka stated finishing his scan and stepping aside.

Aria at last turned around to face Shepard. “Been a long time Runt.” She said with a smile. “What can I do for you?” she asked and offered Shepard a seat on her sofa.

“Archangel and Mordin Solus. I need to know more about them, where to find them and who I’m going to have to shoot to get to them if they are in any kind of trouble.” Shepard stated.

“How would you know they are in trouble?” one of the Turians nearby asked.

“Heard some comm chatter on the way in and I saw mercs heading into a privet room back towards the entrance, my guess is either someone pissed of the heavy hitters here, or you’re planning war with the Citadel.” Shepard stated. “The second option I highly doubt, since you know the Wolf Pack will wipe you out.”

“Archangel showed up several months ago and has been making trouble for the major players of Omega since, he is idealistic and reckless, but he seems to know enough to stay clear of me.” Aria said waving off her Turian guard. “Half Omega wants him dead.”

“Sounds like the kinda guy I need.” Shepard said.

“Really? Well, aren’t you interesting?” Aria smiled. “You’ll make a lot of enemies teaming up with Archangel. That is assuming you can get to him, the mercs have him cornered but by the sound of things, they are having trouble finishing him off.”

“All the more fun for me, I need some practice to get back in shape.” Shepard said. “And Mordin?”

“Last I heard of him he was trying to help plague victims in the Quarantine Zone. He’s as likely to heal you as he is to shoot you. One of the reasons I like him.” Aria smiled. “He used to be part of the Salarian Special Tasks Group, brilliant and dangerous, just don’t get him talking, he never shuts up. If you really need to find him, take a shuttle to the Quarantine Zone, no guarantee they’ll let you in though.”

“If they don’t open the door I’ll just find a way around it.” Shepard said standing up, “I’ll try not to ruin your station, but if people get in my way, don’t expect them to come home without some injuries if they come home at all.” 

“Fair deal.” Aria nodded. “Good luck Runt.”


	7. The Past That Lives.

Chapter 7  
The Past That Lives.

Miranda was shocked.

Nowhere in her files had she ever read that Shepard could be so brutal when killing people or so ruthless in her actions, she made her shots count, hitting the Vorcha in their necks, heads and faces, killing them instantly as she went through the Quarantine Zone.

She didn’t speak or even give orders as she went, it was as if she’d forgotten that Jacob and Miranda were there, even as she entered the clinic and spoke to Mordin, she ignored that she wasn’t alone until the very end of her conversation with the Professor and after a short while, they were on their way back towards the Normandy.

“Runt.” 

Shepard stopped and turned, looking past Miranda to a young Drell who leant against a wall just outside the Quarantine Zone. “You got a name, pup?” She asked ignoring the confused looks she was getting from Jacob and Miranda.

“Most call me Bait, but I know how to bite back.” The Drell smiled, “Saber sent me.”

Mordin looked between the two and then rubbed his chin, “Hmm, unknown names, yet, some significance, code maybe. Ah Gang names, Run a small off spring, often weakest of litter, pup, canine offspring. Wolf Pack?” He asked.

“Formerly.” Shepard nodded. “Earth Pack. And this Pup is Omega Pack like Saber. An old friend.” 

“Ah, explains the brutality in your actions against Vorcha.” Mordin nodded.

“Archangel is on his last legs according to the reports.” The Drell explained, “If you want him on your Crew, you better get over there.” And with that he turned and left.

“Jacob, get back to the ship, Mordin, I may need your help with this.” Shepard said.

“Of course. Good send-off party help get rid of Mercs cauing trouble on Omega. Always fun.” Mordin nodded.

~~~@~~~

“Reports are coming in from Omega’s Pack.” 

“It IS her! She’s alive!”

“Shepard’s alive?” 

The whispers were too much to ignore now, and Anderson felt the glaring eyes of those gathered in the room striking him like daggers as he looked over the reports again. 

“How?” He asked. “No one found her body.”

“And yet here is undeniable proof she lives. And that everything you tried to hide has to come out.” Amber Ruby snapped, “You were wrong Anderson.”

“And what about these whispers that she’s with Cerberus?” Councillor Sparatus demanded. “A known pro-human organization, and the reason she lost so much already in life. How can we be sure that this is truly Shepard?”

“What do you suddenly care if it’s really her or not? You were all too happy to bury her work and label her a lunatic.” Benjamin told him. “You only want to make a fuss because you hate the fact you were wrong about Saren, wrong about the Reapers and you are wrong again now.” 

“You insolent little-”

“He’s right.” Nihlus remarked, “You were all eager to forget the work she’d done and the proof she had found, and you split up the surviving Normandy crew mates to keep her work silent so no one would have the ability to continue her work. You hated the fact she had been right about your best agent and then that she could possibly be right about a threat none of us knew about until then.”

“Even with this information, why hasn’t Shepard tried to contact us?” Councillor Verlan asked, hoping to keep some peace in the room.

“Maybe because she knows you branded her a fool and let her work to rot.” Amber hissed.

“This argument is getting us nowhere.” Councillor Tevos remarked with a heavy sigh, “The Council can not speculate on such little information and images as to what happened and why it has been two years since Shepard was seen, spaced from her own ship. As such, I offer a compromise,” She said. “Councillor Anderson will contact Shepard using the frequency provided to us, and we shall await her return. We owe Shepard the chance to explain what has happened for herself after all she has done for us.” 

“You better hope she is in a good mood when she gets your message.” Amber growled and turned away, following Nihlus as he led them away.

As they left, Benjamin heard the many whispers around them about Shepard and her ties to the wolf pack gang, but kept himself quiet as he followed his mentor to the Moors Clinic to report to the former Admiral there.

~~~@~~~

Shepard had forgone all attempts at being sneaky on the bridge, openly throwing the freelancers off the edge without care and shooting anyone who tried to grab her until they made it inside the ware house where Archangel was hiding in.

She went up the stairs first, keeping her pistol drawn as she watched for any Merc that might have gotten up there first, instead she only found a blue and black armoured Turian. “Archangel?” She asked.

The Turian held up a talon as she stepped closer and took aim down his scope again, Shepard looked towards the room below them and spotted the Merc trying to peek out from behind a pillar only to have a bullet cut through his head, she looked back to Archangel as he stood and removed his helmet, showing familiar blue clan marks painted on another familiar face.

Her pistol hit the ground, making Miranda gasp as Shepard all but threw herself at the Turian before them, embracing him tightly. “Garrus!”

“I thought you were dead, Shepard.” Garrus said as he returned the hug just as tightly.

“What are you doing here?” 

“Just keeping my skills sharp,” Garrus said as Shepard pulled away from him lightly. 

“Are you ok?” Shepard asked, checking him over.

“I’ve been better but it sure is good to see a friendly face.” He admitted, “Killing Mercs is hard work, especially on my own.”

“How did you manage to piss off ever Merc organization in the Terminus Systems? And since when did you call yourself Archangel?” She asked.

“It’s just a nickname the locals gave me for all my good deeds, I don’t mind it but please it’s just Garrus to you.” He smiled. “As for pissing them off, I really had to work at it.” He chuckled. “I am amazed that they teamed up to fight me, they must really hate me.”

“Well, I’m here and we need to get you out of this mess. That bridge works both ways, getting out of here will be difficult.” Shepard said looking at the bridge. “Eclipse is pulling back right now, I heard the Omega Wolves taking pot shots on the way over here. But the Blood Pack is on the way and the Blue Suns are regrouping.”

“So we just sit here and wait for them to take us out?” Miranda asked.

“It’s not all that bad.” Garrus assured with a huff. “This place has held them off so far and with the three of you here, I suggest we wait for a crack in their defences while we hold this location and then make our move.”

“We fight together we’ll make it out of here.” Shepard assured.

“Indeed,” Garrus said, “Let’s see what they are up to-Whao!” he gasped staggering slightly as the whole building began to shake and alarms blare.

“Sounds problematic.” Mordin admitted.

“They’ve breached the lower levels,” Garrus said checking his Omni-tool. “Blood Pack.”

“Mordin stay with Garrus and keep him alive, Miranda you and me will get down there.” Shepard said already heading to the stairs.

“West side of the room behind the stairs, the door there will lead you to the basement level.” Garrus called down. “Good luck!”

“Be careful Garrus!” Shepard yelled back as she raced down the hall ways, leaving Miranda struggling to keep up as she met the charging Vorcha head on. “Come on!!”

Miranda was now sure her jaw was on the floor. Shepard had vaulted over the barrier and dived into a fist fight with two Vorcha while Miranda fired on a third, Shepard showed no signs of stopping even as the two Vorcha she was fighting fell to the floor.

“Commander!?” she gasped.

“I haven’t had this much fun in ages!” Shepard laughed as she panted.

“Shepard look out!” Miranda called as a shot of flames roared towards them.

“DIE!” Their attackers proclaimed while spreading the fire around.

“Vorcha SCUM!!” Shepard snarled using a small break in the flames to jump at their attacker, a shard of sharp metal glinting in the light as it cut into the tank and caused sparks.

Miranda could only watch in dumb shock and awe as Shepard attacked over and over, cutting down Vorcha and Krogan with an ease nothing in her file had indicated she could do. Where had this side of her come from?! How had Miranda not known Shepard had such skills?! What had she missed?!

~ “Having fun down there?” ~ Garrus chuckled over the comms.

“I’m loving this!” Shepard answered in what Miranda could only say was joy. “I feel real again.”

~ “Well get your ass back here, they are coming in through the door.” ~

Shepard nodded and turned on a heel and raced back towards the main room, “Come on Miranda!” She yelled back but didn’t slow down as she ran.

Reaching the main room again Shepard drove her foot into the face of a Vorcha while slicing the throat of another just as Miranda opened fire on the Blue Pack leader. 

“I forgot how good at this you are!” Garrus yelled down as he fired on the other Blood pack members.

“I forgot I was good at this!” Shepard laughed, smashing her fist into the face of another Vorcha with an ease that Miranda hadn’t expected, swiping the knife across the chest of a Krogan who was foolish enough to try and grab her before unloading her pistol into him.

“Duck.” Mordin called and Shepard hit the ground as a shot rang out, sending the Blood Pack leader into Garrus’s cross hairs and with a final shot, the Krogan hit the floor. 

“Nice shot.” Shepard smiled as she jumped the stairs to join them, Miranda a few steps behind her.

“Not my best, but glad to help.” Mordin smiled.

“Only the Blue Suns left.” Shepard stated, cracking her neck and shoulders.

“Tarak has the toughest group but it’s nothing we haven’t faced before.” Garrus began to say before the glass of the windows shattered across the room and the Blue Suns gunship came into view. “I thought I took that thing out already!?” He yelled over the noise.

“So do it again!” Shepard answered, unloading a few rounds into the gang members that had dropped into the room.

~ “Archangel!” ~ Tarak snarled from his ship as the guns ripped through the interior walls of the warehouse, chasing Garrus as he made for stronger cover. ~ “You think you can screw with the Blue Suns!?” ~ He demanded as a rocket shattered glass. 

“Garrus?!” Sheard screamed seeing the Turian get thrown into the ground a few feet from her. 

~ “This is the end for you!” ~

Shepard growled and turned on the gunship with a blood chilling scream, Miranda felt her heart stop as the Commander took off running at the ship and jumped on the cockpit, ducking low under the rotas blades and unloading her pistols into the glass as the ship swirled and dropped out of view.

“Shepard!?”

“Help me.” Mordin snipped at her, already working swiftly to try stop the blood loss from Garrus’s face and place him on a locker door as a stretcher. “Must get him to medical bay.”

“Heads!” Shepard yelled up and Mordin shielded Garrus as the gunship erupted into flames and exploded on the ground floor below them, sending what remained of the glass from the window frame and bringing a mass of rubble down over them, Miranda having the throw up a biotic shield to protect them as the Commander jumped from the flames, landing and rolling to keep herself moving until she reached Garrus’s side. “Is he-?”

“He’s alive.” Mordin assured, working quick with what little medi-gel he had as Garrus fought to stay awake. “Lost a lot of blood, but alive. Must get him to medical bay.”

“The Normandy is in the docks. Chakwas can help him.” Shepard nodded and took Garrus’s hand in hers as they made their way out of the Wearhouse distract, following a path Mordin seemed to know well. “We’re getting you out of here Garrus, just hold on.” 

Garrus tried to speak but instead all he made were bloody gurgles and wheezed breathes as they moved, Miranda helping to carry the stretcher while Mordin lead the way.

~“Normandy’s ready Commander.”~ Joker assured over the coms.

“Tell Chakwas its Garrus. She’ll know what to do.” Shepard told him.

~“Garrus?”~ Joker asked.

“Just tell her-shit!” Shepard cursed and ducked for cover as gunshots whizzed past them.

“We don’t have time for this…” Miranda hissed.

“Can get him to your ship, but need to go now.” Mordin nodded.

“Then go.” Shepard said, taking Garrus’s pistol. “get him to Chakwas, I’ll deal with the Blue Suns.”

“But Shepard-”

“That’s an order Miranda!” Shepard snarled loading her weapons. “GO!!” 

Garrus wheezed and gasped, trying to reach for Shepard as he saw she wasn’t with them anymore, weakly blinking his eyes open trying to keep her in his sights before the pain was too much and he slipped into darkness.

She squeezed the triggers of the pistols with ease, taking down Blue Suns with single shots to heads, neck and chests as they charged towards her, when they got too close she brought swung her fists and feet at them, filling the small corridor with the snaps and cracks of bones, gun shots and breaking armour, echoed by the death cries of the Blue Sun Mercs as they fell.

They swarmed her but she didn’t stop.

She lashed out with fists and feet and teeth, biting hands that got to close, driving her knees into the groins of her attackers and grabbing ta the joints of armour, thin fingers snapping into places that shouldn’t be reached and braking bones with practiced ease.

She felt pains, but she ignored them, it was easy to ignore pain when you knew there was no one there to help you make it better, easier to let go of the rules and kill without caring who saw you or what they thought.

Runt didn’t care about those things. She never had.

A gunshot rang out from behind her, skimming her shoulder plate and taking down the Batarian that was charging at her, then from her left a shadow matched her right hook with a swift knife jab to the throat.

“I don’t need your help!” she snarled.

“Anyone who fights the Blue Suns is a friend of mine.” A gruff old voice snarled back. “You Shepard?”

“Whose asking?” She growled.

“Zaeed Massani.” The man introduced as he shot down the last of the mercs and offered her his hand. “Has the Illusive Man told you about our arrangement?” he asked.

“No.” Shepard stated, leaning against the wall after shaking his hand, then hissed as she sank to the floor. “Shit…”

“Good thing I asked.” Zaeed said and lifted her arm over his shoulder, helping her back to her feet. “I picked up a mission just before I signed on with Cerberus. Have you herd of Vido Santiago?” he asked.

Shepard shook her head. “Should I have?”

“He’s the head of the Blue Suns. Runs the whole Organization.” He explained. “Recently it seems he captured an Eldfell-Ashland refinery on Zorya and is using the workers there as slave labour.” He added noticed Shepard suddenly clenching her hands despite her weakened state. “The company want him dealt with.”

“We’ll see to it… after my doctor has fixed my friend up and I’ve had… a drink.” She said wincing as her legs at last gave out under her and she stumbled again. “Fuck!”

“Easy, kid.” Zaeed said helping her stand again and let her lean on him, “You need to take a minute for yourself as well.” 

~ “Commander? What happened to you?” ~ Joker asked over the comms as they reached the air lock.

“Ju-just tell Chakwas to focus on Garrus for now.” Shepard told him, “I can wait until he’s safe…”

“Bring her in here.” Miranda called from the medical bay as Jacob moved to help Zaeed carry Shepard inside.

“Put her on that bed and make her stay there,” an older woman stated from behind a curtain. “So help me I do not have the energy to run between a reckless little wolf pup and a badly done face lift.” 

“He’s ok?” Shepard asked hearing Chakwas making jokes was a good sign. “Chakwas?”

“He’ll be fine when I’m done, but you young lady are going to stay on that bed until I damn well say otherwise or so help me I’ll call Aria myself and make her send me every Krogan she has to sit on you so you don’t move!” 

Shepard smiled and nodded, as long as Garrus was ok, she could relax and let Chakwas give the orders, she heard Zaeed and Jacob being shooed out, heard Miranda and Chakwas talk back and forth as she was stripped of her armour and firm hands worked and bandage her up and carefully stitch the worst of her injuries closed.

She heard them talk around her, heard the groans as Garrus woke up from his sedative and was told firmly to stay still by Chakwas as he asked where she was, the hiss of the curtains being drawn back to let him see her.

The last thing she remembered was someone gently taking hold of her hand and brushing her hair from her face before she at last let sleep take her.


End file.
